Drowning in Darkness
by NyxAbsol
Summary: 1 year after the defeat of Nemesis, the bladers organize a get-together. But no-one knew that it would result in two missing bladers, another journey and a whole new crisis. Dark secrets and pasts will be revealed, but the question is, at what cost?
1. Chapter 1

"2 minutes until move, Master."

"Good. Is everyone in their positions, Kage?"

"Yes Master."

"Countdown, Kage. 5."

"4."

"3."

"2."

"1."

The black and gold haired boy jumped of the railing, making the slightest bit of sound. A lavender haired boy sprung up, his sapphire eyes darting around. He met the gaze of unsettling forest green eyes, with metallic gold rims.

A purple bey gleamed in the darkness as it sped towards him. Snorting, the boy launched his own. A black beyblade with a silver heavy-set energy ring and a gold spiked performance tip.

"Kinzoku Werewolf, Silent Steel Crush," the boy whispered. A metallic silver light filled the room.

The attack wasn't aimed at the bey, it was aimed at the blader. The agonized scream suddenly grew quiet as the blader fell, limp, to the floor. A smirk appeared on his face.

"So, the key. The greatest potential. The power will be kept for ourselves." He chuckled darkly before he and his accomplices disappeared into the night.

A magenta haired child woke up to the sudden flash. Everything was eerily still and quiet. "What happened?" He called, but there was no response. He sighed, dipping into the bowl and reapplying his face paint. "Must be lightning..." He muttered, flopping back onto his bed and falling asleep.

"Mission accomplished, Master."

"Very good, Kage. Quick as always. Now no one can stop us."

The lavender haired boy's eyes flew open. He held his breath.

Acrid, thick turquoise liquid bubbled and surrounded him. He tried to move his arms, but failed. He started to panic, as a soft voice cooed out.

"We're going to have so much fun."

That was the last thing he heard before a jolt of painful electricity coursed through him and he fell back into a deep slumber

"Who's left, Gingka?"

The redhead frowned as he looked through the list, turning to his green-haired friend.

"Just Tithi and Dynamis. Huh. We sent a helicopter for them hours ago." He replied. Kenta grumbled and Tsubasa wordlessly passed him a ice-cream. He smiled and went to sit with Yu, who was licking one too.

"Just, mm, saying, Yu, how does Tsubasa, mm, afford all this ice cream, mm, for the both of us? Not that I'm, mm, ungrateful." He asked.

"Frankly, I'm not sure-OH! There's a helicopter!"

The kids jumped around happily as the helicopter landed. All the guests for the get together were here! "Tithi!" They yelled, running to meet their friend.

Instead, the pink-haired blader, whose hair was cut shorter, had tears in his eyes. He approached his friends, and looked at them, his teary eyes red and puffy. "Hi..." He said, sighing.

Gingka frowned and walked over. He put his hand on Tithi's shoulders. "Hey Tithi! Are you OK? Where's Dynamis?!" He had not seen the Jupiter blade at all. This just upset Tithi even more. He burst into tears, wailing.

"Dynamis..."

"Dynamis is missing."


	2. Chapter 2

****Hi Everyone, I'm back! Please enjoy and review as always! :D****

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><p>"MISSING?!" Gingka yelled.<p>

"Oi, Gingka, I'm right next to you- wait, WHAT? Dynamis is missing?" Chris exclaimed. Everyone else just stared at the group, speechless.

"How can we find him, Gingky?" Yu, Kenta and Tithi asked. Tsubasa attempted the calm the boys down.

Ryo came in. "I, THE IMMORTAL PHOENIX, HAVE ARRIVED-"

Hikaru glared and cleared her throat.

"Yes, the Director of the WBBA. Now, boys, why so glum? Don't tell me you hated the idea of a get together-"

"Dynamis's missing."

"How?" Roy asked seriously. He was the Director of the WBBA after all, and finding a missing blader was his job.

"We don't know. He just disappeared." Tithi said between choked sobs. "Director, can you find him?" He started bawling again. Dynamis, his "older brother"had disappeared without a trace. No wonder he was upset. Madoka went into the kitchen to make some steaming hot chocolate for him while Gingka comforted the crying boy.

"Does he have any family?" Ryo asked.

The whole gang kept quiet. None of them, except Tithi knew Dynamis very well, and he had never mentioned any family members to them.

"Now that you mention it, Dynamis said he had an older sister, Astri..." Tithi trailed off. Tsubasa was already flipping quickly through the phone book, looking for Astri Hikari's number. Then, he punched some buttons on a laptop. A teenager's scowling face popped up on the screen.

"What do you want?!"

"She looks like Dynamis..." Yu muttered under his breath. The teenager had pale lavender hair with vibrant violent tips. Her hair fell down to her waist. Her eyes were a startling sky blue, contrasting with her dark skin. She wore a black shirt and a red jacket over it.

"Are you Dynamis's sister?"

"So what if I am? And who are you?!"

"Well, Dynamis has gone missing and we would like your help to find him..."

The teen's demeanor changed completely. "Hang on, where are you? I'm coming."

~1 day later~

Astri flung her bag on the floor and glared at Gingka. Fire burned in her eyes and she grabbed Gingka.

"WHAT HAPPENED TO MY LITTLE BROTHER? YOU BETTER EXPLAIN OR ELSE! OR I WILL GIVE YOU A TASTE OF MY BEY!"

Gingka winced, choking. "Sheesh...can't breathe..."

Astri wasn't listening. She did some martial arts move on Gingka and left him writhing in pain on the ground before storming out of the door. Gingka, Chris, Yu and Tithi chased after her. Finally, they caught up, panting heavily.

"Wait up!"

"No time! THIS IS MY BROTHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT!"

Astri exploded again and walked off briskly. She scowled and her fist clenched over her bey.

"Skia bladers, if you're behind this, you are so getting it."

"What's a Skia blader?"

The girl scowled again, her features hardening. "I guess I have to tell to tell you, don't I? The Skia bladers is an organization that takes in several bladers. It's suspected that they are after the Ourano Bladers." The others gasped. Astri had managed to get through one sentence without yelling.

"What's a-"

"An Ourano blader possesses great skill and power, even more than the Legendary Bladers. However, even if all of them have been found but the "key", the most important Ourano blader, the Skia Bladers will not be defeated."

Make that two speeches.

"Wait...if an Ourano blader has an evolved bey, then what about my Flash Orion?" Chris asked.

"And my Kikoeru Libra?"

"And my Destiny Quetzalcoatl?"

Astri rolled her eyes as she reluctantly swept a careless glance over the carefully polished beys.

Suddenly, she gasped.

"That bey! Libra! It's an Ourano bey, no doubt! Sorry, the other two are not."

Yu looked elated. "So cool!"

Just then, they came across a bey park. Yu and Tithi high-fiver and ran off to one stadium, their launchers ready.

Astri looked like she was going to beat up the two kids. "We're wasting time! LET'S GO ALREADY!" Gingka smiled. "Well, you could just allow one battle... And I would like to see your bey too."

Astri sulked as she was dragged to the other available stadium. She pulled out her bey, Celestial Starlight. It was a pretty gold bey with a silver winged fusion wheel, a black energy ring, and a rubber performance tip.

"Let it rip!"

The four beys flew high up into the sky, light reflecting off their shining metal frames, before landing in the stadium, heading straight at each other.

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><p><strong>So...hope you enjoyed:)<strong>

**I'm not sure how many OC's I'm going to use though. If you even read until here, I'll post the next chapter soon...hopefully. :P**


	3. Chapter 3

Nile's POV:

I clawed at Tsubasa, who held me back. "C'mon, let me go!" I snapped. Just then, a jolt of pain ran up my arm and I stumbled down, weakened. Clutching my arm in pain, I tried to show a nonchalant look on my face. "You're still injured, Nile, you can't go!" (A/N: If you don't understand, read my other fic, Untold) Tsubasa said. He dumped me in my "room" which I shared with the gold-haired kid. I groaned as I heard the unmistakable click of the door being locked. Sitting crosslegged on my bed, I took out Horuseus.

It glowed a brilliant gold and I gasped as the metal heated up in my hand. Light engulfed my Vulcan Horuseus, and I shielded my face with my other hand.

When the light died down, I stared at my bey. Still gold, but a thick black fusion wheel now and a new performance tip. I looked at the bey, my darker self taking over momentarily.

_You're back?! But I learnt to trust!_

**Oh, Master Nile, I am a part of you!**

I groaned as I returned back to normal. On top of all my other wounds, I had a splitting headache. But I knew what to call the bey.

Shining Horuseus.

"What a lovely name," I heard. My head immediately jerked back and I saw a woman hovering in a helicopter outside a window. She had dark blue hair, cyan eyes and a tall, lanky physique. Those creepy eyes stared at me, fixed and unmoving.

"H-How did you know?" I scooted back a few inches. The woman landed the plane and jumped inside effortlessly. Her lips twisted into a smirk as she used a cold, manicured finger to tip my chin, so that I had to stare directly at those eyes. "Shining Horuseus, huh... interesting. And as to how I know you...call it mind-reading," she said. "I have an offer for you. Join us. Do you really want to be stuck here all day? If you join us, you'll be freed from your pain, you'll meet strong bladers."

_Strong bladers...very strong indeed..._

I was so tempted to just jump out. But then...

_"Nile, promise me you'll battle me first when you recover?"_

_"Yu..."_

_"Nile, I'm not the same kid I used to be. I'm stronger. And I want you to stay with me."_

_"Hmph."_

_"Nile!" The blonde jumped up, enraged. "No one takes me seriously! I thought you would be different!"_

_"No one blades seriously when I battle them. I don't want to be taken lightly just because I'm a kid. That's just not fair."_

_I felt so touched by his words. In his little hand was his newly evolved bey, Kikoeru Libra, staring straight at me. How could I resist?_

_I nodded. "It's a deal."_

_The kid grinned, and his emerald eyes lit up and gazed at me._

_"Thanks, Nile! You're the best!"_

I didn't regret doing that. Yu, though childish, was a strong blader. I had smiled slightly at the look of utter joy on his face as he hugged me tightly.

"No thanks. I promised my friend that I would battle him first," I said defiantly. She wasn't shocked, or surprised, or anything that I had expected. She just smiled again.

"My offer stands." she said as she jumped back into the helicopter. I gasped as she glared at me before she left, her lips moving. In the strong wind that had just started, her words were lost, but somehow, I knew exactly what those words were.

_"Or I will force you."_

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><p>"Quetzalcoatl!"<p>

"Libra!"

"Ashen Spark!"

"What? Right now!?" Yu exclaimed as the yellow bey spiraled into the air and crashed down hard on Libra. The green bey, even a stamina type, wobbled slightly from the impact.

Chris cheered them on. "Go, guys!"

Yu frowned in concentration as he focused on Tithi's commands.

_40 degrees left...and then about 2 cm to the right... now spinning 60 degrees to the right. In about 7.9204 seconds, I should have the opening!_

He closed his eyes, visualising Quetzalcoatl's movements.

"Go now!" His eyes snapped open and Libra smashed into the bey with utmost precision.

"AH! Quetzalcoatl!" Tithi called as the bey wobbled. "Ishtar Impact, Quetzalcoatl!"

The bey glowed yellow and the beast-Quetzalcoatl-appeared.

The bey slammed into Libra, causing a massive amount of damage. Yu began to break out in a cold sweat. _I don't wanna lose!_ He growled as Libra circled the stadium once again, waiting out the battle. Something inside him erupted and he glowed a bright green.

Tithi stepped back. "Yu?" he asked nervously.

"_I'm not losing, Tithi!"_ he said. Libra glowed as well as it charged up energy. Gingka and Astri looked up, momentarily blinded with green light.

"LIBRA! FINAL INFERNAL VORTEX!" The stadium was engulfed in energy and Quetzalcoatl was sucked into the column of green energy, wobbling dangerously.

"I"M NOT DONE YET! QUETZALCOATL!" The yellow bey suddenly stopped wobbling as Tithi glowed amber.

"Let's finish this, Yu!"

"Back at ya!"

"Quetzalcoatl, ISHTAR IMPACT!" Tithi yelled as Quetzalcoatl rushed towards Libra.

"Libra, tip the scales! EBONY OBLIBERATION!" A black aura surrounded the line bey and a massive blast of dark energy was launched.

There was a giant explosion and smoke filled the stadium. When it cleared, Quetzalcoatl had stopped spinning and Libra was wobbling.

"Great battle Tithi!"

"It was fun!"

Gingka focused back on his battle, which Pegasus was slowly dominating. Astri smirked. Suddenly, Starlight started spinning faster and pushed Pegasus back.

"_Go, Celestial Starlight!"_

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><p><strong>I had fun writing the battle. It's my first proper battle scene. Anyway, I'm looking forward to writing the next chapter...<br>**


	4. Chapter 4

**Enjoy the chapter!**

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><p>Dynamis opened his eyes once again. He looked around but he was still trapped. Just then, a voice echoed around the room, making him gasp in shock.<p>

**_What a strong blader you are, hmm..._**

_Who-who are you?_

_**That is not necessary. I think it'll be fun doing this.**_

_What are you going to do to me?!_

Dynamis tried to break free, pounding his fists against the impossibly unbreakable glass. He gritted his teeth as he tried, again and again.

**_I'm afraid that's not going to work._**

He was running, running from something. A dark fog tried to grab at him but he managed to narrowly escape. The shadows were everywhere, and he had only one way to go.

Forward.

He ran, recklessly charging forward as the shadows merged into one form.

Himself, cloaked in dark robes and a sadistic smirk on his face. A gold pendent with a ruby gem was encrusted in the middle of the intricate piece.

_Hades Curse? But how? Wasn't the pendant destroyed?_

He held his breath as shadows slipped out from beneath his feet, preventing him from running. They slowly wound its way around his body, until it blanketed him. He felt it hard to breath and his eyes involuntarily closed.

_You cannot escape Hades Curse._

Suddenly, he found himself staring at the bleak turquoise void once again. His breathing slowed as the indigo fog lifted.

_What was that?_

**_This liquid...brings you your worst nightmare. You still have nightmares that HADES CURSE is going to return, don't you?_**

The boy whimpered as the fog returned.

He was back in his nightmare. This time, the shadows had monstrous crimson eyes that glared at him. From its unseen mouth came terrifying words.

**You're the descendant to accept Hades Curse? Pathetic. I'll give you ten seconds. Ten.**

He didn't bother to look behind him as he sprinted forward. The only sound was the deafening sound of blood roaring in his ears and the shadows' scathing remarks.

**Nine.**

His heart pounded wildly as he tried to escape,.

**Eight.**

_This is...just a dream, no, a nightmare..._

**Seven.**

The booming voice spurred him on, and all he could think about was the curse.

**Six.**

The curse of Hades would return.

**Five.**

Dynamis began to question his existence.

**Four.**

The darkness merged into a form. His darker self.

**Three.**

Inky shadows slithered dangerously close around his feet, but he slipped out.

**Two.**

The exhaustion seemed so real, and he collapsed on the floor.

**One.**

Dynamis screamed as darkness enveloped him, the black chains pinning him down, the taste of smoke in his lungs, the drowning feeling he had.

**This is a game of fate that you will never outrun.**

Pain.

Pain to levels that he had not experienced before.

But he felt something else too.

Doubt. He was always the cursed one. His father hated him for that. His sister was the star of the family. Even when he was a Legendary blader and helped defeat Nemesis, his father only commented that he had only helped to contribute to its revival.

_Why am I even thinking this?_

He was back in the real world. Except, this time, a beystadium was in front of him. The liquid had receded somewhat, and he saw two beys.

One was the bey that he had fought before, Kinzoku Werewolf. It's gold fusion wheel gleamed. He observed the jagged blades hidden on the fusion wheel.

Spinning on the other side of the stadium was...

_Jupiter?!_

The boy pounded on the glass, as he tried to reach the purple bey. Jupiter didn't do anything, it just stayed there while Werewolf hit it. Its owner- the boy with black and gold hair- smirked, his green eyes filled with evil and desire.

"Werewolf, Howling Fang!"

The layered fusion wheel suddenly shifted and Dynamis blinked in surprise. Now, the hidden spikes were exposed, and a tiny fragment of his bey broke off and dropped to the stadium floor. Dynamis' eyes widened. "No!" he screamed. The piece of metal was just like a piece of his soul.

He knew that Jupiter stood no chance, yet he continued to hope uselessly...

Werewolf struck Jupiter over and over again. Dynamis couldn't control Jupiter.

_Stop! Why are you doing this?_

_**Ha...I'm sorry. To achieve my goals, I need you.**_

The lavender haired boy screamed as electricity worked its way up his body again. He tried to resist, he tried to fight. The flashes of shadows threatening to take over his vision, the pain from the electricity, the fear and insecurity he had since...since forever. He tried to fight it all. There was, however, one thing that he plagued him. The little, sinister voice whispering in the back of his mind. It was soft, but it gave him a headache. At first, it was so soft, so gradual, he didn't even notice the growth in it's strength. Lately, he was struggling to keep everything from Tithi. The little boy didn't need to know his troubles. Dynamis just wanted to curl up, in that prison of glass, surrounded by the turquoise liquid, bleak, unmoving. He wanted to close his eyes, drift into the blissful unconsciousness, forget about all the pain, all the trouble. He just wanted to sleep and escape everything.

**_Sleep...you'll feel better._**

The soft voice was so tempting. He just wanted to. He just had to. He felt his muscles relax, his body sinking, sinking lower, until he reached the very bottom. He felt the voice dying down, everything just being a little more bearable as he slipped, slowly, unknowing, into the darkness of unconsciousness.

When he woke, he found himself drowsy. He struggled to take hold of his body as the evil voice had increased in strength, once again. He felt helpless, as he was dragged into the void. Shadows writhed under his feet, eagerly waiting to devour him. He struggled, but he was held down.

**I win even if you break through. Your life force is tied to me.**

He hated to admit it, but it was true. His soul was tied to Hades Curse. He tried to block his ears, but the voice rang out clearly in his head.

**The outcome is the same, no matter what. Just GIVE UP. Give UP...Give Up...give up...give up...**

_"N-no! Stop! Please stop this!" _the boy screamed as the two words whirled around his head.

Something nagged at him to stop.

_Why bother anyway? Can I win?_

He started to break. He felt out of control, as his body floated in the pitch darkness.

Was there anything more to save?

The lady smiled slightly as she heard the tortured cries slowly dying, the boy's eyes finally closing as he gave in.

"The first step is complete. I will reign."

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><p><strong>This is why I was looking forward to writing this. Maybe its because I like torturing my favourite Beyblade characters (especially Dynamis:D) Oh well. I'm updating really fast now because these chapters are prewritten (except for this). So expect less updates!<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**Enjoy:D**

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><p>"Go, Pegasus!" Gingka exclaimed as the blue bey hit Starlight. Unexpectedly, it pushed back and Pegasus was almost sent out of the stadium. Barely managing to hold its ground, it escaped. Starlight chased right after it as Astri smirked.<p>

"This is the Number 1 blader? I'm disappointed," Astri twirled a lock of her lavender hair around her finger. That made Gingka angry.

"Pegasus, Cosmic Tornado!" Gingka commanded. The blue bey went into Final Drive mode and moved around in a circle. striking Starlight. The gold bey, being an attack type and not having a lot of defense or stamina, started to wobble.

"Not bad! Escape, Starlight!" Astri's bey suddenly whirled around in the other direction and raced away. Gingka was shocked.

"But how-?"

"Celestial Starlight is able to rotate its slanted performance tip when I command it to! This gives it amazing mobility!" the girl yelled as Starlight dodged Pegasus by suddenly skidding to the right. She weighed her options as Starlight spun around the stadium.

_This battle is getting fun, I'll have to admit that. After all, Gingka is the number 1 blader. I could let it drag on, but I need to look for Dynamis. I need to save my little brother._

Starlight headed towards the centre of the stadium and glowed. An energy field surrounded the gold bey and Pegasus was blown back.

"What the-" Gingka exclaimed. Pegasus hit the very edge of the stadium but managed to stay in. The whole stadium lit up in bright gold, as it became searing hot.

"It was nice battling you, but I'm in a rush. I'll end this right now! Starlight, Special Move! Blinding Star!" Astri shouted. The glow was dazzling and and a star-shaped energy surrounded Celestial Starlight. A ray of powerful golden light swept across the stadium, sending Pegasus flying out.

"What!" Gingka cried. He bent down to pick up his blue bey and Starlight flew back to Astri. "Now let's go!" she snapped, dragging Gingka, Tithi, Yu and Chris, Meanwhile, two pairs of eyes watched as the gang left.

"Radioing Headquarters. Good news, Master. The bladers you requested for have been found. They are heading towards Garnyle City, and will be reaching in approximately two hours.

"Very well. How is the status on the other side, in Metal Bey City?"

"All clear, Master. Everything is in place."

"Very good. You are dismissed."

"Thank you, Master."

Nile looked up from his book as a box flew into his head. He scowled as he flung it on the floor, his emerald eyes flashing with fury. "Who in their right mind throws things through other people's window's?" he muttered. The box was made of polished metal and had some fancy panel on its sides. Nile picked it up to attract it when suddenly...

**I'm back.**

_What? Go away! _Nile mentally snapped at the stupid voice, trying to ignore it. But the voice continued to grow, hissing in Nile's ears.

**The box...interesting. Why don't you open it?**

_Why should I listen to you?_ Nile retorted, turning back to his book.

**Because you should, and will. **Then, the box opened by itself. Gasping, Nile jumped back, staring at the box. Inside was a scroll of ancient Egyptian Symbols. Nile ran his eyes over it.

_The curse, the curse will take over_

_Feel it, feel and drown in its power_

_This spell raises the spirit's curse_

_Former self will drown and disappear_

_The curse, the curse_

**Good, good! I feel the power! **

Nile winced as the voice roared in his ears. The spirit rejoiced and grew louder. He clutched his chest in pain, trying to keep the spirit at bay, like he always managed to do. However, it didn't work this time. The curse slowly grew, so gradually. The markings and symbols glowed as the spirit fed on the power of the spell.

_No! Stop!_

**No use. The spell is an ancient one, very powerful indeed.**

With a final insult, darkness enveloped Nile. The boy was hurled into a void as the spirit took over him. He looked on, into the eternal black...

The curse stretched its lips into a smirk. It felt too good to be in control again. He heard Nile's voice demanding to be let free, but ignored it. He wouldn't let go of this chance to wreck havoc, now wouldn't he? He walked out of the room and ran into Tsubasa, who stared at him in surprise. The curse raised an eyebrow at him.

_So this is the silver-haired person taking care of Master? How pathetic. He looks like a girl, but I won't tell him that. _It mused, staring straight at the teenager's golden brown eyes. "Where are you going, Nile?" Tsubasa demanded.

_Now, now, no need to be so pushy, _the curse thought as he lied skilfully. "Going to the park for a walk. None of your business." Tsubasa considered that for a moment and the curse took that opportunity to stride past him. "Well, there's no harm," he said, turning to speak to Nile. He found himself staring at the empty space opposite him. He headed back to his room. "He seemed different... maybe I've been cooping him up too much, and he's annoyed. I should let him get some outside air more often," he said.

He casually strolled past the crowd. Somehow, he knew exactly where he was going. Finally, he paused in front of a tall silver building. A dark smile formed on his face as he pushed open the door. He had reached at last.

Nile tried to escape but something pinned him down. It was like a chain, a cold malicious chain. He could hear the curse's voice clearly as it echoed through its head.

"I have arrived."

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><p><strong>So...Nile is evil now. That's bad. Poor him. Anyway, please review! Critiques are welcome! <strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi everyone, enjoy! Another of my OC's is introduced in this chapter!**

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><p>"Where are we going again?" Astri said, bored. They had been walking for an hour, and she had been forced to fork out money to buy Yu and Tithi ice-cream. Even worse, the two kids were now on a major sugar rush and were running everywhere.<p>

"Garnyle City. There's a famous Beypark there, so maybe we'll find one of the Ourano Bladers!" Gingka replied happily. He received a kick to the face.

"The priority now is to save Dynamis, isn't it? Since when did we want to find Ourano Bladers?" Astri snapped, unhappy that Gingka had forgotten about her little brother.

"Oh yeah. But the Ourano Bladers may give us clues..." Gingka said sheepishly. Yu and Tithi's incessant chatter was starting to get to them. The two boys could not shut up, and that was the _third_ ice-cream they had bought.

Finally, they arrived in Garnyle City, with Gingka rushing towards the hamburger shop nearby, Yu and Tithi spying an ice-cream shop and running towards it, and a _very_ annoyed Astri holding all three of them back. Gingka suddenly thought of something.

"Where did Chris go? He was with us a minute ago..."

They pondered when suddenly, they heard excited chatter. Excited, they rushed to the Beypark. It was a spacious building with a massive, immaculate stadium, and they could clearly hear the pleasant, familiar sound of metal against metal. Two beys raced around it. One was a girl with two blond pigtails, magenta eyes and peachy skin. She wore a dark pink sweater over a white shirt and black leggings. Her brows were furrowed in immense concentration, as she tried to find a way to attack. On the other side was...

"Chris!"

The blond boy commanded Orion to wait the battle out, but the girl wouldn't let him. "Go now, Roe!" The girl said, as her green bey delivered a barrage attack. Chris smirked. "That won't work, little sis!" he said, as Orion escaped to the other end of the stadium.

"Little sis? Chris has a SISTER?" Tithi said, still hyped up from all the candy. Yu was the same, bouncing up and down in disbelief.

"Let's finish this NOW! I need my candy!" The small girl whined. Gingka and Astri watched.

"Flash Orion! Special Move, Brilliant Flash Blast!" Chris yelled.

"Forest Roe! Special Move, Nature Crash!" the girl cried.

A blinding blast of red energy headed towards the dark green bey. Then, the girl's bey spirit emerged. A beautiful, young deer with magnificent, velvet-coated antlers. It charged gracefully towards Orion, surrounded by a pink, yellow and green swirling energy. A massive explosion rocked the arena as the two special moves clashed. A pink, yellow, green and red blast shot into the sky before the smoke drifted away, revealing the results.

Forest Roe had stopped spinning and Orion was spinning steadily in the arena thanks to Bearing Drive. Chris caught it and ran over to his sister, who looked depressed. He ruffled her hair playfully. "Don't worry, it's your first time! That was amazing!" he exclaimed. She knocked his hand away and smacked his head. "Don't. Ruffle. My. Hair!" she yelled, chasing her older brother out of the arena. The gang caught up to him.

"Chris, you never told us you had a sister!" Yu, finally off his sugar rush demanded.

"You never asked..." he started, and Astri kicked him. "Then, introduce us!" she yelled in his ear. She had a weird premonition. _Forest Roe, a balance type. It has amazing defense and attack, because of the multiple blades on its double-thickness Guard Fusion Wheel. It just may be..._ she thought.

"Hey, Astri! You spaced out for like, a full minute! Are you okay?" Gingka asked, waving a hand in front of her face. She blinked and screamed at him. "YES I'M FINE! WHAT IS WRONG WITH DAYDREAMING?YOU THINK OF BURGERS ALL THE TIME!" Gingka was covering his ears and complaining about possible deafness.

"Um, so this is my younger sister, Ril," Chris said, earning a glare from his sister. "It's Riley!" she said. Gingka rolled his eyes. "Girls..."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Riley and Astri started beating him up, while the others tried to break them apart.

After two hours, a very tired and beat-up Gingka emerged from the wrath of two angry girls. Chris had to use Orion to create an opening to separate the three people. Astri remembered what she had been wanting to say to Riley from the beginning.

"Riley, can we talk?"

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><p>"Let me get this straight. I'm an "Ourano Blader"? That's why Chris didn't completely crush me in my first battle?" Riley said. She sucked at a lollipop that Yu had magically produced from a giant stash of candy. <em>Great, she's starting to understand now...<em>Astri thought.

"Yep," she replied.

"Is she lying, Chris? Yu? Tithi?" Riley looked at her brother and her new friends.

"Yeah, Ril. She told us the same thing," Chris assured her.

"Yu's one to, and now he's super strong!" Tithi supplied, hi-fiving Yu. Riley, for once, ignored the fact that she had been called "Ril" again.

"Yes! I'm gonna beat Chris soon!" she cheered, taking a giant bite of her lollipop for emphasis.

Astri looked at her watch. "Anyway, we need to go now. We may need your help in the future, Riley!" she said.

"Wait, right now?" Gingka said.

"But I've not seen my sister in ages!" Chris protested.

"Don't care!" Astri said. She stood up to leave and Chris and Gingka followed her. Yu gave a bag of candy to Riley, who thanked him happily and unwrapped another lollipop. "Bye. guys!" she said, waving as they exited the house. "See you soon, Chris! Yu, Tithi, let's battle next time!" she added. Tithi smiled and the three kids shared a group hug.

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><p>"So, the fifth one has been found. Excellent."<p>

"Yes, it certainly is, Master."

"Is the equipment for the second stage set up yet?"

"Nearing completion. Work can start tomorrow."

"Interesting. I can't wait."

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><p><strong>The next chapter will be about Dynamis again. Hope you enjoyed!<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

***looks at word count* Wow. This is probably the longest chapter for this story so far. This is my first time using a song in my story, but I thought it would be fun. The song is "I am Titanium" by David Guetta. And this chapter is evil. Enjoy!**

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><p>The navy-haired woman smirked as she single-handedly operated the control desk. She felt so in control. The first stage had already been completed, though it had taken more time and effort than she had expected. That "key" was a fighter, no doubt. It would be hard to do this, but she had to try. She wanted badly to be in control. Her cyan eyes ran over the endless panel of buttons, stopping at one. Lifting a perfectly manicured finger, she tapped it.<p>

"I think he has had enough of a nap."

"Ow..." Dynamis rubbed his head. He had been awoken by a painful shock, and he gasped when he saw a woman standing in front of him. She had sharp features, dark blue hair that was pulled back in flawless ponytail, unnaturally pale cyan eyes and she wore a grey jacket over a red shirt. As she spoke, he knew the voice. An all-too-familiar feeling of dread washed over him.

"Hello, _Dynamis."_

"Stop it! I'm already broken, what more do you want?" he whimpered, trying to back away, fear in his ocean blue depths. He didn't want to go through that painful torture again. He was broken, destroyed. He had no hope.

"Oh, don't worry, I'm here to introduce someone. Someone you might know, actually."

Dynamis blinked as he was thrown out of his glass prison. Extremely weak and suffering from malnutrition, he crumpled to the ground. The liquid was what kept him alive. He was kept in there all day, with no food or water. Who was that woman going to introduce? He didn't want to know. Something in her malicious voice unnerved him. He just wanted to shut the world out, keep himself in a world of isolation. This way, he wouldn't hurt anyone...and no one would hurt him. He raised his head, his vision blurred from traces of the horrible liquid in his eyes. He blinked several times and his sight cleared. The air pricked his skin, and he winced. How long had it been since he had last seen the outside world?

There was a muffled sound and the woman entered again. The sound of footsteps rang out clearly behind her.

It was Nile. The Egyptian teen that had led the group to Mist Mountain. He seemed nice enough, so why would he be in such a place? He seemed...different. His hair looked a shade darker, and his eyes were a different colour. He glanced down with disdain at the shivering Jupiter blader on the wall. He nudged Dynamis, his eyes amused. He spoke, but his voice was odd. Like the words were being forced from his mouth.

"The proud guardian has fallen. How interesting. Master Corisande told me to have fun. Now, where should we begin?" he sneered, a vicious smirk forming on his curled lips. Dynamis found himself cowering in fear. He tried not to show it, but he was slowly being consumed by fear-and the monster inside.

"How about...here?" Nile chuckled and snapped his fingers. A stadium rose to the surface, and Dynamis was surprised.

_A bey battle? But I don't have Jupiter!_

"I know what you're thinking, so here," Nile said as he threw Jupiter to Dynamis.

His bey was in pieces. Its performance tip was cracked badly, and its fusion wheel...was almost gone. "I can't do this!" Dynamis croaked hoarsely. Nile ignored him and launched Horuseus. Dynamis had no choice.

_I'm sorry, Jupiter. Please hang on!_

_You shout it out,  
>But I can't hear a word you say<br>I'm talking loud not saying much  
>I'm criticized but all your bullets ricochet<br>You shoot me down, but I get up_

His heart breaking, he launched his beloved bey into the stadium. It was unable to spin properly, and wobbled. Horuseus attacked it ferociously, making it fly out of the stadium. But Nile didn't stop.

"Horuseus, Dark Move, Hell's Curse!" Nile snarled. The bey was surrounded by murky black and Dynamis felt a pain in his chest. He struggled to stay awake. No, he just had to. There was still a spark of fighting spirit burning in his heart. Just a little, but it was enough. He refused to succumb, and a weak burst of energy coursed through him. He refused to give in to the unforgiving darkness, the nightmares, the never-ending nightmares that always tainted him.

_That move...it doesn't just hit the bey...it affects the blader too... but I can't give up..._

_I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose  
>Fire away, fire away<br>Ricochet, you take your aim  
>Fire away, fire away<br>You shoot me down but I won't fall  
>I am titanium<br>You shoot me down but I won't fall  
>I am titanium<em>

He felt drowsy now. More drowsy. Still, he tried. He launched Jupiter again. Jupiter spun.

_As long as Jupiter spins, I will not give up._

The pain was too great. Dynamis could hardly focus on the battle in front of him. He forced his eyes open, and commanded one last move.

"Jupiter, Grand Lightning."

_Cut me down  
>But it's you who'll have further to fall<br>Ghost town and haunted love  
>Raise your voice, sticks and stones may break my bones<br>I'm talking loud not saying much_

Nile smirked. Horuseus was still at full strength. This would be fun.

"Horuseus, Demonic Inferno," he stated. A black tornado erupted from the bey, completely shattering Jupiter. Dynamis collapsed on the floor, unmoving.

At least he had tried.

_I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose  
>Fire away, fire away<br>Ricochet, you take your aim  
>Fire away, fire away<br>You shoot me down but I won't fall  
>I am titanium<br>You shoot me down but I won't fall  
>I am titanium<br>I am titanium  
>I am titanium<em>

He was back in the horrible nightmare. This time, however, it was different. He had the feeling of being choked, or suffocated. He cast a fearful glance down. Darkness slithered around his neck, binding him. His hands and legs were trapped by indigo fog. Beads of sweat ran down his face as his dark self emerged from the fog, which floated around them, cloaking them in a strange chill.

_Stone-hard, machine gun  
>Firing at the ones who run<br>Stone-hard as bulletproof glass_

**How I love doing this. Let's get started, shall we?**

_P-please stop this! Don't you have enough?!_

**Why not have more? This is fate, after all.**

_You're a monster!_

**Yes, I am, and I'm proud of it.**

The curse touched Dynamis's neck and the Jupiter blader gasped from the icy cold touch. But there was more.

Right where he was touched, a dark aura emerged from the tips of his fingers and spilled onto Dynamis's neck. It enveloped him, and Dynamis screamed.

_You shoot me down but I won't fall  
>I am titanium<br>You shoot me down but I won't fall  
>I am titanium<br>You shoot me down but I won't fall  
>I am titanium<em>

He had a drowning feeling. Murky water filled his lungs as he tried, but lost, again.

_You shoot me down,_

He was shot.

_But I won't fall_

But he fell.

* * *

><p><strong>:( Poor Dynamis. Nile is so evil. I hope you enjoyed and that's not all the torture I have for him.<strong>


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi...another torture chapter from me. This one's about Nile, though. And yes! There's another song! The lyrics are kind of morbid to match the mood. The song is "Falling" by David Archueleta. Enjoy!**

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><p>Nile's curse laughed darkly as he read the message from his master, his new one.<p>

"You can have fun today. I've brought some guests for you. Hope you enjoy."

"Come on in," he said. Three people, a man, a teenager girl and a lanky boy entered. The man's brown hair was unkempt and his eyes were wild and dangerous. An evil glint seemed to lurk inside those dim green depths. Those eyes were once a sharp emerald, but a murky fog seemed to conceal the brightness, dimmed by years of drinking. _Good. He's a perfect guest,_ the curse thought as he eyed the man. He stared at him with a almost frightening hunger, an insatiable hunger for blood and hurt inflicted upon his son.

The girl had brown hair and large green eyes too, but the eyes were innocent and sparkling. A streak of orange tinted a lock of her hair, which fell around her shoulders. She looked worried, her lips pressed together tightly, cautiously staring at her brother, no, the _monster_ in front of her. So, this was Storm Horuseus, Nile's older sister by two years. Her tan skin, green eyes and hair colour proved that. However, she lacked the tattoos under her eyes.

The boy was the newcomer to the building. He had indigo hair with black highlights, pale skin, and light brown eyes. His hands were perpetually hidden under the folds of fabric of his black jacket. His denim jeans and scruffy red sneakers made him look like an average teen, except for his eyes. They burned with a desire to torture, to rule. He stared at the curse, both admiring him and scrutinizing him the whole time. _So this is my ally,_ he thought. The curse regarded him. Seth Wedlin.

Nile forced open his heavy eyes as he looked around. He felt weak. Helpless. Alone. The dark void around him, the pitch darkness, made him feel insecure. He didn't know what was coming. Each time he looked to his golden bey, Horuseus, for comfort, he felt intense pain course through him. He had been living in his curse's mind, being tortured. He knew that after a period of time, he would slowly fade and disappear into nothingness.

_Feels like my life's been passing by__  
><em>_With happiness just bein' a lie__  
><em>_How did I get here, where am I going?__  
><em>_One more day without knowing__  
><em>_Struggling for one more breath__  
><em>_As I'm drowning in a painful death__  
><em>_Can someone reach out for me?__  
><em>_In this dark and dreary sea_

Suddenly, he felt something. A disturbance in the darkness. The thick shackles around his limbs loosened, and he ran towards the light. He was swallowed, but he felt free. He waited in eager anticipation...

He felt cold marble touching his bare skin. He stretched his bony, aching limbs, and looked around. He didn't know why. Maybe because of the fact that the curse's mind was tied to his, but he had a mental image of the building. Every corridor, every room. He knew what was inside. He didn't care at the moment. He was _free._ He stood up and was knocked back down harshly again. He felt the bandage around his stomach rub against his wound. Gritting his teeth, he tried to ignore the pain.

_'Cause it seems like no one can__  
><em>_Hear the voice that's calling__  
><em>_Try to take the most I can stand__  
><em>_But I keep falling_

_Right. The injuries are still here._

He glanced up and gasped. The curse was there, right in front of him. He blinked his eyes.

_I brought some guests._

He had a bad feeling about this.

_I try to chase the memories away__  
><em>_But they haunt me everyday__  
><em>_I hope I get over this phase__  
><em>_'Cause I'm stuck inside this haze__  
><em>_All I need is a simple lift__  
><em>_Such a sweet and precious gift__  
><em>_So I don't lose it all before__  
><em>_What I have left is nothing more_

The Egyptian boy stared in shock as the man, the one who ruined his life entered. His lips curled up into a smile. It had no expression of joy, but a hunger that was about to be satisfied. The boy screwed his eyes shut as he prepared himself. Now, he almost, _almost_ wanted to return back to the void. At least he wasn't there. "How nice," his father stated as he eyed his victim. He delivered a swift kick to the recent wound on his stomach, and Nile groaned in pain. His fingers secretly, slowly, inched their way towards his pocket. _If I can get help..._

He felt something sharp cut his hand, and he winced and jerked it away. Blood streamed from his palm. The pain was so familiar, so much, too much, it was almost numbing.

That was before the knives and Beys came.

_In my isolated misery__  
><em>_I feel like the epitome__  
><em>_Of darkness and despair__  
><em>_Just leading into nowhere__  
><em>_Will I be able to win this race?__  
><em>_I'm runnin' at a slow pace__  
><em>_Trying hard to press on__  
><em>_But the motivation's gone_

He screamed as he felt the sharp object slice into his back. He raised his head, staring at his father pitifully.

A gold bey was launched at him, and the massive pillar of gold light, the one that had aided him, that had won him battles, had now turned against him.

He felt pain. But pain was natural to him. Wasn't it?

_Cause it seems like no one can__  
><em>_Hear the voice that's calling__  
><em>_Try to take the most I can stand__  
><em>_But I keep falling__  
><em>

_Oh_

A girl entered.

_Storm?!_

"S-storm?" he croaked. The girl rushed up to him.

"Stop it, Father!"

"Storm, go away."

Storm was ushered away by another boy. He had dark purple hair and brown eyes. He felt something searing hot prick his skin.

"NO!"

_I try to chase the memories away__  
><em>_But they haunt me everyday__  
><em>_I hope I get over this phase__  
><em>_'Cause I'm stuck inside this haze__  
><em>_All I need is a simple lift__  
><em>_Such a sweet and precious gift__  
><em>_So I don't lose it all before__  
><em>_What I have left is nothing more_

How long had it been?

Nile had endured, quietly, as he was tortured. He raised his head. Darkness coated his surroundings, and he could hardly see a thing.

Nile felt something. His clothes were being peeled off.

"Please stop! PLEASE!"

An hour later, he was on the ground, his clothes back on and his breathing heavy.

_It may not have to be this way__  
><em>_Waiting for me, there could be a new day__  
><em>_Maybe I can revise__  
><em>_And escape from the lies_

_Am I... am I going blind? No Nile, don't think such things! _Amidst the darkness, he could make out one column. It was... green. He thought it was. Inside floated a lavender haired boy whose eyes were closed, as he fell, deeper, into a never-ending sleep.

_Dynamis?_

_I try to chase the memories away__  
><em>_But they haunt me everyday__  
><em>_I hope I get over this phase__  
><em>_'Cause I'm stuck inside this haze__  
><em>_All I need is a simple lift__  
><em>_Such a sweet and precious gift__  
><em>_So I don't lose it all before__  
><em>_What I have left is nothing more_

He didn't know what to do. His stomach churned in fright as the darkness grew. He gave up.

He would forever be alone, in a world of darkness, where no one cared.

Where he wouldn't stand a chance.

No one would notice as he died inside, completely shattered from what had happened to him.

_There could be something more__  
><em>_To what my life may have in store__  
><em>_I'll move from where I began__  
><em>_Keep on pressing through to the end_

The last thing he felt was a agonizing jolt of electricity before darkness consumed him.

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><p><strong>Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and I'll try to update soon!<strong>


	9. Chapter 9

**Would ya look at that, I actually updated! Sorry if I'm taking really long, I have exams now and that is NOT fun. Exams will end in 13 days. This chapter is boring. So bear with it! Enjoy! This shows a little of Astri's past.**

* * *

><p>Astri and the others sat on the soft leather on the plane seats.<p>

"Astri, why are we going to France?" Yu asked the teenager. The girl turned around to face the kid.

"A close friend of mine told me of suspicious activity in France. Dynamis could be found there!" Astri exclaimed. A small, hopeful smile lit up her delicate features.

"Gingka!"

"Wake up!"

"Let me handle this. GINGKA HAGANE! WAKE UP NOW!" Astri took a deep breath before screaming right into the redhead's ear. Nearly everyone in the plane swiveled their heads around to glare at the girl. Gingka woke with a start.

"Oh, we're there?" he asked sleepily, getting to his feet. Chris rolled his eyes and dragged him out of the plane.

Gingka complained loudly. "I thought only Astri would do this...not you too, Chris..." the blond ignored him.

Astri put on a winning smile and strode up confidently to a taxi. Amazingly, a flawless stream of French escaped her mouth. She conversed with the driver for a few minutes before cheerily saying "Merci!" Then, in English, "Come on guys!"

Yu was surprised. "Astri, why can you speak French? And where are we going?"

Astri laughed. The others had not seen her so excited and happy before. France just seemed to fill her with joy. "We're going to my favourite hangout spot, Yu. Well, as to how I know French, here's the scoop..."

_"Daddy, is it true? We're going to France for a holiday? Me, Mummy, you and Dynamis?" The lavender haired girl jumped up and down, her sky blue eyes sparkling. The man smiled and ruffled her hair, before speaking to her gently._

_"Yes, Astri,we're going to France for a week. Dynamis isn't coming."_

_"But why?" the girl pouted and glared at her father._

_"Astri, be happy we're bringing you for a trip. Dynamis isn't coming. That's the way it is." her father declared firmly. Astri nodded slowly but reluctantly. "OK then..."_

_On the day of the trip, Astri hummed a merry tune to herself as she packed her brand-new French dictionary into her luggage. Her father was in an especially good mood, and her mother had left beforehand to see to something. She skipped out of the door, when a hand on her shoulder stopped her. A young boy with spiky lavender hair was smiling at her. His sapphire eyes twinkled as he smiled at his older sister. Of course. Dynamis was staying behind. He was missing all the fun as usual._

_"Why can't you go, Little bro..." she muttered. The boy comforted her. "Hey Astri, I'll be fine. Enjoy your trip!" Astri hugged her brother who hugged her back. However, she noticed the barrier around his eyes melting and a tiny bit of melancholy and loneliness showed in those deep blue orbs. He blinked quickly, and that smiling, bright face was back once again. He playfully nudged her out of the door. As she disappeared into the distance, she could hear the faint shout of a "Have fun!"_

_-In France-_

_Astri swung her legs as she waited for her parents to unpack. She had only packed a bag full of books and toys, as well as a velvet box containing a silver pendant with a gold star. Dynamis had given it to her for birthday last month and she had yet to put it on. She wore her favourite purple shirt and tied the delicate silver chain around her neck. She knew that Daddy would scold her if he saw her wearing it. She didn't know why. She tucked the chain and star beneath her shirt. The iciness of the metal resting against her skin was a little uncomfortable, but it was okay. She liked the chain. She wanted to wear it, and would, with or without her parent's permission._

_"Let's go, Astri!" her mother called. She jumped off the bed and skipped through the hotel door. Soon, they were at a mall. She didn't know the name. It was all in French. All she knew that her parent's called it "good." she held on to her mother's hand tightly as they visited the shops._

_France wasn't very fun. It could be, but she hated shopping with her parents. It was boring. She wanted to go sightseeing. She trudged along with the large crowd, when suddenly, she realised that her hand wasn't in her mother's any more. Gasping, she looked around with huge panicky eyes. They weren't anywhere. She probably wouldn't find them among the sea of faces. Terrified, she burst into tears, unsure of what to do._

_Just then, someone tapped her on the shoulder. A girl around her age with light, short orange hair and violet-grey eyes and a smile on her face looked at her. "What's wrong?" she asked in a thick French accent. "I...I can't find my parents!" Astri cried._

_"Poor you!" the girl sympathized. "Why don't you come into the cafe first?"_

_"The cafe?"_

_"Tulipe Bleu! Blue Tulip in English!"_

_Astri had gone into the cafe, Blue Tulip. She had called her parents. Everything seemed normal once again and a huge smile was upon her face._

_"What's your name?"_

_"Astri Hikari!"_

_"I'm Fiona!"_

* * *

><p><em>Fiona seemed sad that her best friend was leaving. Astri smiled before leaving. <em>

_"Hey Fiona, we'll always be best friends, right?"_

_"Yeah! Besties!"_

_As Astri was dragged to the gate, she could hear her friend shouting over the miscellaneous chatter._

_"BYE ASTRI!"_

_"BYE FIONA!"_

* * *

><p>"That's how. After I returned, I picked up French and it seemed to just... fit. And here we are! Blue Tulip Cafe!" Astri grinned, jumping out of the taxi.<p>

Just then, Gingka's phone rang. It was Tsubasa.

"What's up, Tsubasa?"

* * *

><p>"SERIOUSLY? WHY IS EVERYONE GOING MISSING?!"<p>

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you enjoyed this chapter. And Tsubasa (finally) realises Nile is missing -.- And anyway, here's how Nile got a curse: (PURELY MY IMAGINATION)<strong>

**Nile's ancestor had a curse. When he was eight, he, along with all the other eight-year-olds in the village went to the town square. The mayor (after muttering a chant) declared that Nile was the descendant. That's how.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Yay, another mental scene with Nile~ anyway enjoy!**

* * *

><p>The Egyptian tilted his head up. Only darkness. Just the black in front of him. Nothing more, nothing less. He had the distinct feeling of shadows climbing up his leg, but he wasn't sure. He couldn't see it. There was no light to guide him. The curse whispered mockingly in his mind, but he wasn't sure. He wasn't sure of <em>anything<em> right now.

No one to care, no one around him.

The cold feeling crept over him, as the whispers hissed. He couldn't see, but in his mind, he knew something. The only thing he clung on to, the small fragment of reality and sureness. That fragment, however, was torturing, agonizing even. The image of the curse couldn't be erased. Now and then, it would fade a little as it grew bored, but it still came back. Always. There would be the occasional hiss of something detrimental to his mental health, like _you're the loner, aren't you?_ or _your "friends" abandoned you. How nice._

Nile was dazed. He was half-asleep, just wanting to escape reality once again sometimes. He just wanted to feel no pain. But something, another voice, rang out softly but clearly in his head.

_Wake. You have to. Wake!_

He told himself it was probably nothing. He was probably going insane.

_Wake! Don't sleep!_

He gasped as images, blurred, bright, colourful, danced in front of his eyes. Voices, familiar, comforting voices.

_"Nile, what happened exactly? I know you told me...but you still haven't opened up fully."_

_"Don't pry." He snapped, his eyes holding iciness and anger. Yu backed up, fear evidedent._

_He felt so guilty. "I was just trying...to help..." Yu stuttered, staring at him._

_"I know. I'm sorry, but I'm not ready yet," Nile apologised. The young boy smiled. "It's OK! Take your time!"_

Besides Kyoya, Demure and Benkei, who he treated more of allies, Yu was more of a companion who just wanted to make friends with him. No intentions, nothing. He just wanted to have fun. But he couldn't be sure who to trust.

Closing up again seemed like an easier option. The easy way out. It seemed so much more inviting. He would feel no pain as he drifted away.

_You can't! What about your friends?_

_Just-just go away!_

Who were his friends now? Did he have any to begin with?

The urging voice faded abruptly as the evil curse replaced it.

_Suffocate. Drown in despair, and fade._

Darkness clamped on his mouth. He couldn't breathe, and he tried to draw up one last breath. Instead, he felt something. Something familiar, warm, but cold at the same time. A small gold light shone from it, he thought.

Horuseus.

A flash of dazzling gold lit up the void, and he screamed. Pain rushed through his body and he drowned and slept.

_Wake!_

_Not again._

_"Why are we here?" Nile complained._

_"To have fun. Now MOVE," Yu declared as he shoved an ice-cream into Nile's hand and dragged him towards the carnival games._

_In the end, Nile won Yu a giant stuffed Beyblade and Yu won him a weird falcon thing. Cool, though. They dunked each other in water, and took all the possible rides._

_It was the first time Nile had ever experienced true fun._

That bubbly feeling of happiness filled him once again, but was quickly pushed down by the quickly-growing darkness. The shadows seemed like they were alive, and wrapped themselves even more tightly around him. He choked and tried to spit out the taste.

_You do know that the fading process is soon? In a few hours? I'll enjoy being rid of you. It's a long, painful process for you...and I'll have my last few moments of fun right now._

Nile opened his eyes to see nothing and feel pain below his eyes. He felt something sticking into him. He wildly felt around. Where was he?!

_Wake, Nile! Wake!_

He didn't say anything as the intense jolts of electricity coursed through his body;there was no need, no need at all. He was broken and there was nothing he could do. Nothing he could do. He heard the footsteps of someone entering, and instantly, he knew who that "someone" was. Panic surged through him as he tried to escape, but he was pinned down. There was the familiar, curdling smell of fresh, metallic blood, from his shoulder this time. The sharp metal scraped against his skin, trying to hurt. It succeeded. The pain was too great, and he blacked out.

When he came to, he felt weak. The smell of blood was stronger, more nauseating. He felt multiple wounds all over his body.

He said something, but it came out as a raspy whisper.

"I'm going to fade anyway, why do this to me?"

He regained his sight for a moment, and he found himself staring into cold, unmoving eyes.

_Because I like it._

_"Nile, Nile..." Yu chanted as he danced around the Egyptian, annoying him a lot. Nile was trying to rest, as he leaned against the wall, his eyes closed. The kid's chanting made it impossible to focus on anything._

_He grumbled. Tsubasa had just given Yu some candy, and now he was hyper. Still, he had to admit it was cute watching him. It also made him wish that he had such a carefree childhood. He watched the gold-haired boy jump up and down._

_"NileNileNileNileNile~" sang Yu. The teen just silently staggered to his feet and walked away._

_"You're really not allowed to do this," Yu said, dragging him back to the bed, singing random songs while putting on irresistibly adorable faces. Forced to stay, Nile tried to enjoy the sight of the little boy dancing around the room._

_You see? You have friends!_

Surprisingly, Nile shut the voice up with one cold, emotionless sentence.

_Not any more._

The curse grimaced. Giving in so easily? That wasn't fun at all. He wanted to hear the cries of agony, those cries that was music to his ears. He decided to up it.

Nile couldn't hold back anymore. Boiling years streamed from his eyes as he was electrocuted again, this time using a battery that was five times as strong. He wanted a moment to rest, but that wasn't given to him. This time, he was plunged into somewhere. A tank, he thought, as he felt around. He couldn't see once again. He felt something rising, something wet. It was at his feet, no, his ankles now. He had a distinct feeling of what was going to happen. Water. That was water soaking his shoes.

**You're figuring it out, haha... What does "D" stand for?**

Nile was terrified, and his broken form shuddered violently in the tank. He muttered the first word that came to mind, his eyes staring emptily at the curse.

"D-drowning?"

**You're smarter than I thought, ****_Master._**

The water level was up to his waist now, as he struggled to stay afloat. The water was unusually thick, and he felt like his arms were made of lead.

The water was now at his chin, and steadily rising.

_I could just end this now, painlessly. I could, if I just..._

His head sank underwater as his eyes closed. He felt it was hard to breathe, but it was a lot better than the other torture. He would rather go like this.

**No...if he does that, it will be over too soon!**

The curse, hurriedly jammed a button, and the water receded. The boy spat out water. He was still alive, thankfully.

**You're bad. I'll quiz you again, then. What does "B" stand for?**

Nile's mouth was clamped shut. He didn't know, he didn't _want _to know. All he knew was that whatever the answer was, it would be painful. Really painful. But he would be alive. The curse wanted him to go through the fading process. He had heard about the terrible pain, and he was lost, scared, alone. No one stood with him.

**Fine then. Here's the answer: "B" stands for Burning.**

_Burning?!_

Flames danced brightly in the tank as it ate away ruthlessly at his scarred skin. All he felt was white-hot pain. Even the voices were gone. The pain was what he focused on. Just pain, pure, raw and agonizing.

A few minutes later, the flames were gone, leaving the boy in the tank. His skin was burnt, charred, a lot of his nerves were probably destroyed, but he was alive.

**The fading process would start right about now. See ya.**

The boy found himself back in the darkness, but there was something new.

Gold light surrounded him, and he felt his life force slowly but surely draining away. The gold light was bright at his feet, and started to rise, but it was slow. This would take a long time all right. Nile knew it. He knew he was dying and there was nothing he could do about it.

* * *

><p><strong>Please bear with me for the next two chapters because I'm going to introduce two OCs. There is a battle so its not THAT boring, but still...anyway there's going to be action in the third chapter!<strong>


	11. Chapter 11

**Hi~both my OCs are introduced in this chapter. Sorry if its a little boring.**

* * *

><p>Astri's stormed into the cafe. <em>Everyone<em> was going missing and she had an almost certain suspicion of who had done it. She was mad. She was tired. She was worried.

She grumbled under her breath as she scanned around. Yu looked like he was going to cry, while Chris was attempting to comfort him. Emphasizing on the word _attempting._ Yu sniffled as he took a bite out of the ice-cream cone that Chris had bought.

"Is Nile gonna be OK?"

"I'm sure," Chris absentmindedly replied. It was clear that he, too, was worried. Just then, a squeal distracted him. He looked up, annoyed, to see Astri running forward. She hugged a slender French teenager with long, pastel orange hair swept into an elegant braid. She had violet-grey eyes that held a twinkle in them. She wore a long-sleeved pink cardigan over an orange shirt and a denim skirt that touched the spot just above her knees. The image was completed with maroon ballet flats.

"Fiona!"

"Astri!"

The two girls looked delighted. Fiona smiled. "It's been such a long time!" She exclaimed.

"Yeah!" Astri replied. "And your hair grew so much!" She paused. "You said that you found some information?"

Fiona smiled gently. "Not me. One of my friends."

"Friends?"

"She should be here any minute now," Fiona stated. She pushed a steaming cup of hot chocolate in front of Astri, as well as a slice of cake. Astri grinned and tucked into the meal. Meanwhile, the boys exchanged looks. Were girls always like this?

By reply, a water balloon exploded in their faces. The boys sputtered and coughed, and their heads were completely drenched. A girl with light brown hair pulled back in a ponytail stood in front of them, her arms akimbo. Her large, doe-like brown eyes glared at them. She wore a white vest with indigo lining, black jeans and dark purple boots. She was the perfect image of a sweet, innocent girl- only that she was not. She strode up.

"Don't think that we girls don't know what you're thinking," she warned.

Fiona smiled. "Tsuki."

Tsuki combed her hair back and offered a smile. Now that they had the chance to observe her, she had a mischievous gleam in those big eyes. Astri smiled. She was going to like this girl. In Tsuki's hand was a spare water balloon, loaded with water. Smirking at them, she started.

"So Fiona told me to come here. Explain about this 'suspicious' thingy? Well, OK then."

"HURRY UP ALREADY!" Astri was anxious and sick with worry. _Dynamis..._

Gingka rolled his eyes. The boys whispered 'Girls..." , but unfortunately Gingka was a little too loud. With her supersonic hearing, Tsuki marched forward. The next thing he knew, Gingka was screaming in pain, rolling on the ground, as Tsuki expertly twisted his arm. Hard.

"Just so you know, I'm a black belt in karate _and _taekwondo. Oh, and I also know fencing, judo, wushu, kung fu... don't get on my bad side or _you'll get it." _Tsuki growled, emphasizing the last three words. Gingka howled in pain as Tsuki gave his wrist one last twist before letting go. Sulking, Gingka muttered, "The others did it too..."

"WHAT?!" Tsuki yelled as she turned around to face the others. Unfortunately, Chris, Yu and Tithi had already disappeared.

"Could you please continue, Tsuki?" Astri asked. Tsuki exploded her other water balloon in Gingka's face and kicked him before continuing with her information.

"So, I've determined that the building is not too far from here; we can take a taxi there. Um, I've seen strange uniformed dudes outside before. I approached them and they said they were from a top secret training academy for Beyblade. There's a word printed on their shirts though, at the corner, in tiny print. SKIA. I wonder what it stands for..."

"DAMMIT!"

Everyone jumped at Astri's sudden outburst. The girl was yelling vulgarities about the Skia Bladers at the top of her lungs. Luckily, there was no one else in the cafe except for a middle-aged French man who just stared at her with a perplexed look on his face.

"YOU STUPID-"

"Enough, Astri, swearing isn't going to help," Fiona said.

"WHERE IS IT?"

"We can take a taxi there. Relax."

"WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR? LET'S GO NOW!"

"Um, we still have to find Chris, Yu and Tithi."

"Shit."

Gingka's phone beeped and he looked at it. Scratching his head, he laughed nervously. "Guys... they went out to town for a bit and they're coming back now... but Tithi and Yu somehow blackmailed Chris into buying them ice cream..."

Astri looked like she was going to curse again. Gingka wanted revenge on that Tsuki girl.

"Is there a bey park nearby?"

"Yes! Lemme guess, you want to take revenge on what I've done in a battle is that right?" Tsuki said. Gingka nodded confidently. The girl smirked.

"You'll regret it." She pulled out her bey. It looked extremely tough. It had a jagged blue fusion wheel with bits of indigo metal, as well as a unusual performance tip that was split into two. _Hmm, _Gingka thought, _I wonder what that performance tip is for..._

"This is my unbeatable bey, Euphonious Nightingale."

_Nightingale?_

The facebolt was a rich purple with a complicated design of a jet-black nightingale on it.

Fiona smiled.

"Why don't we battle? You haven't seen my bey and I haven't seen yours."

The purple-haired girl, at the mention of a battle, had calmed down a little. She wanted to go right now, but she couldn't. She pulled out Starlight from her pocket. "Starlight, let's win this thing quickly and go rescue Dynamis," she muttered, and the bey glowed in response.

"Well, you haven't seen Tempest Falconis yet!" Fiona held up a bey. It was white with a thick orange rubber fusion wheel and silver spikes on its fusion wheel. It's fusion wheel was unusually shaped. It was sloping downwards. It also had a round performance tip. Its facebolt was orange-gold with a design of a gold falcon drawn in swirly black.

"Interesting," was the only word Astri managed to get out before she was dragged to the nearest Bey park.

* * *

><p><strong>Tsuki is cute (according to me).<strong>

**Gingka: Hmph.**

**Me: *silently picks up chainsaw***

**Tsuki: Hi.**

**Me: Hey Tsuki, wanna help me kill Gingka?**

**Tsuki: Sure. *Picks up chainsaw***

**Gingka: AAAHHHHH!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Yup, this chapter has _two _battles. Warning. A very, very, VERY, I repeat, VERY OP bey is introduced here. If you hate OP beys, then don't read it. If you don't...well enjoy the chapter then.**

* * *

><p>"Let it rip!"<p>

Cosmic Pegasus and Euphonious Nightingale clashed hard in the middle of the stadium. The latter escaped unscathed while Pegasus was blown back. Gingka was confused. _The attack type Pegasus had just lost in terms of power? But how?_ Just then, he noticed that Nightingale spun a different way then most...

"Reverse Rotation?!"

Tsuki smirked. "Took you long enough to find out."

Euphonious Nightingale's jagged fusion wheel made it deal maximum attack, and the rubber patches were at vital, weak spots to absorb attacks. Gingka had never seen a more powerful bey. He frowned. Without Madoka, he was lost. He didn't know anything about this bey. The purple and black Nightingale struck Pegasus before racing away.

_That's it!_

"Go now, Pegasus!" The blue bey headed for the unguarded metal at the front of Nightingale. Even the strongest bey had to have its weak spots- and this was Nightingale's. When Pegasus made contact, it was able to fight back for a little while. Gingka smiled. Even with reverse rotation, Pegasus could match the bey. He could tell that it was a Balance type, but other than that, he didn't know what the other features were for. Suddenly, Pegasus slid off and landed back in the stadium.

Gingka gasped. "But how?" The layered fusion wheel had changed now.

"Mode changes?" Tsuki offered dryly. There was a layer of incredibly smooth metal protecting the weak spot now. When a bey hit it, the reduced friction would cause it to slide off.

_Euphonious Nightingale? What is this bey?_

"Try attacking from under!" he shouted, and Pegasus dived under Nightingale's fusion wheel. Incredibly, it seemed to work... until Pegasus was blasted back. It wasn't touching the bey at all, but it just seemed to hit an invincible wall and bounce back. Gingka sighed in relief as Pegasus landed at the edge of the stadium. It was wobbling slightly, but was still spinning.

"What was that?" Gingka demanded. "Euphonious Nightingale's performance tip is split into two, don't you get that? They spin in different directions. While the bottom part spins left, the top part spins right. This distorts the air and creates an impenetrable vacuum shield. This makes its defense rock-hard!" Tsuki explained.

Pegasus tried to attack from above and it actually seemed to work. A Cosmic Tornado from such a height would deal a lot of damage to a normal bey. But Euphonious Nightingale wasn't normal. It still spun calmly, without a hint of weakening. Gingka looked like he wanted to pull out his hair. He had attacked from above, below, sideways... everything! Nothing worked. That was a highly customized bey. Not only did it have a jagged fusion wheel that could change modes and rubber to absorb attacks, it was also reverse rotation _and had a_ performance tip that could generate a vacuum shield. Could this crazy bey even be defeated?

"No."

"What?"

Chris was standing there, hands on his hips, watching the battle with a practiced eye. He, obviously, knew more than Gingka about bey mechanics.

"Chris! When did you get here?"

Yu and Tithi were watching the battle but not offering any advice. They seemed to like the scene of Gingka being creamed.

The blond ignored him. "Euphonious Nightingale, like Flash Orion, has ball bearings in its performance tip. This makes it able to spin forever as well. So, no, as far as I see, you can't defeat it."

"Wait... how did you know what I was thinking?"

"You said it out loud."

"Focus on this battle!" Tsuki yelled, annoyed. "Fine then, I'll just finish it RIGHT NOW!"

Euphonious Nightingale started glowing indigo. Astri and Fiona, who were waiting their turn, looked both shocked and amazed. Astri smiled a little.

_No doubt about it... that Tsuki is an Ourano Blader._

Nightingale's bey spirit emerged. A beautiful, sleek, jet black Nightingale spread its magnificent wings and took to the skies.

"Special Move, Lyrical Haunt!"

The air seemed funny. It was being twisted around in different directions, and the nightingale spirit sang in a chilling, haunting voice. When Pegasus got dizzy and started spinning around out of control, it flew into the air. Then, an ebony beam shot out of Nightingale and spiralled slowly around Pegasus, engulfing it. When the beam disappeared, Pegasus was in the stadium, not spinning.

"Are you kidding me? I was just beaten?"

* * *

><p>-10 minutes into Astri's and Fiona's battle-<p>

"Let's end this now! Celestial Starlight, Blinding Star!" Bright gold light quickly spread across the stadium and Starlight glowed its deadly star-shaped energy. Somehow, the powerful golden ray was unable to defeat Falconis. It wobbled, but it was still spinning.

"Falconis, go now!" The sloping fusion wheel was an excellent choice for attack, as it was more efficient do deal out attacks to the spin track.

"I would like to remind you that mine and Tsuki's beys were made by the same mechanic! While she has a split performance tip for a shield, the defense type Falconis has a split energy ring to maintain balance!" Fiona commented.

The orange bey dealt a barrage attack to Starlight, causing it to wobble.

"Hmph. Not bad, Fiona! But Starlight's performance tip..." she reminded. The gold bey rotated and dashed to the right, effortlessly avoiding a series of attacks that Falconis dealt. Then, it started pushing back. Fiona scowled. She had underestimated Starlight's power.

"Absorb it!"

"Absorb?!"

The rubber fusion wheel soaked in each attack that Starlight launched. "In that case," Astri said, "Try the spin track!" It actually worked. Falconis's spin track wasn't as highly customized, so it did have a weak spot for Starlight to hit.

Both beys were wobbling now.

"Astri!" Tithi and Gingka cheered.

"Fiona!" Yu and Tsuki, who actually _knew _their stuff, voted for Fiona.

"It's clear already who's gonna win," Chris sighed.

"Let's finish this," Fiona calmly stated.

"Back at you," Astri shot back.

"Special Move, Blinding Star!"

"Special Move, Regal Blade!"

As the ray of bright gold light charged towards Falconis, the orange bey's spirit emerged. A gold-brown falcon with gold-tipped feathers. It wore fitting, regal-looking armour. It raised one razor-sharp talon to strike out. The bey glowed orange and a hidden, gold-tipped spike suddenly extended from the bey. The collision caused a small explosion. When the smoke cleared, the bey left spinning was Falconis. Starlight had landed at Astri's side.

"Not bad," Astri sighed. _My mind wasn't really on that battle, but I have the feeling she's an Ourano Blader too..._

* * *

><p>"So we're Ourano Bladers? Sounds cool."<p>

"Now, we have a stronger team to go rescue Dynamis!"

* * *

><p><strong>Looks like Gingka was crushed.<strong>

**There will be some action in the third chapter. Hopefully I have enough time in between exams to type the chapters.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Yay... action! Finally! Hopefully this is a bit more exciting. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>"They're coming soon, Master."<p>

"OK. I expect our plan is ready?"

"Of course."

"Then we wouldn't have any trouble dealing with them."

"I agree fully, Master."

* * *

><p>"So we're going now?" Fiona said.<p>

"I'm waiting for some people who are obviously late," Astri sighed, kicking a pebble. She was bored, frustrated annd anxious. She just wanted to go now.

Then, two people approached.

The first was a teenager with dark green hair and an annoyed expression on his face. He wore a short green shirt under a black jacket, baggy grey pants and brown boots. He had cross-shaped scars on his face. Gingka was shocked.

"Kyoya?!"

The second was a young girl with gold-blonde hair in pigtails, maroon eyes, and wearing a pink jacket. She hummed to herself as she skipped towards the group, waving to Yu and Tithi. The children, momentarily forgetting about Nile and Dynamis, ran forward to hug their friend. Kyoya was grumbling under his breath and muttering about how annoying _all_ kids were. Apparently he had gone with the girl. "Hey Kyoya, any more candy?" The girl grinned.

"NO!"

"Riley!" Chris smiled and hugged his younger sister. "What are you doing here?"

Riley shrugged. "Astri asked us to come!"

"Hmph... she said that if I came, I could battle Gingka," Kyoya growled.

Gingka looked insulted. He glared at Astri. "You're treating me like a pawn? Really, Astri? I never thought you would stoop so low-" he shut up sensibly when he saw an angry Tsuki pointing at a water balloon in her hand. He would never admit that he was especially scared of that girl. She was strong, violent, and somehow loved to prank him. He didn't want to get hit by more water. He had a lot more left to say, so he only shot another glare at Astri before sulking.

"NOW let's go," Astri sprinted to the taxi which she had dialled for earlier. Everyone filed in.

* * *

><p>"We're here!" Astri yelled.<p>

Yu, Tithi and Riley ran out, looking at the foreboding building. It was silver, with immaculately polished glass windows. At least twenty stories tall.

The group was about to march right in but unfortunately, that was the exact wrong thing to do.

* * *

><p>"Go now."<p>

"Yes, Master."

* * *

><p>The group was almost there when suddenly, three beys flew towards them at light speed from supposedly nowhere.<p>

One of them was a black, silver and gold bey. A werewolf design was embedded on the silver facebolt. It had silver blades as well as hidden spikes on its fusion wheel. The performance tip had a protective layer of well-placed spikes.

The second one was a crimson red bey with a jet black fusion wheel. The fusion wheel had "claws" that extended upwards. It had a tall spin track as well as a unusual performance tip. It moved towards them quickly and aggressively.

The third, however, was what shocked them the most.

It was a stunning gold with a uniquely warped, winged black fusion wheel. Its energy ring was wide with small, barely noticeable blades. The performance tip was smooth, hard plastic, and its movements were incredibly silken smooth, like it was moving over glass.

Horuseus.

"That's not Vulcan Horuseus," Gingka stated. He knew that much.

"It's... S-shining Horuseus. His bey evolved," Astri said in amazement. _Don't tell me... he's one too..._

"But if Horuseus is here..." Kyoya said.

Three people emerged from the shadows and revealed themselves. The teen on the left had black hair with a portion of it dyed metallic gold. He had pale skin and his eyes were an eerie light forest green rimmed with gold. He was short, skinny but athletic. He wore a black leather jacket over a blue shirt which had "SKIA" printed on it. He looked at them coldly, as if imagining, _they're nothing but mere obstacles. _The one on the right had dark indigo hair and light brown eyes that contained a thirst for blood, pain and fear. He wore brown gloves and sneakers. He wore his simple Skia uniform shirt and denim jeans. He almost, _almost _looked like a regular boy at first... until you saw the eyes.

The third boy looked at them in disdain. _So these are my old Master's "friends?" Interesting, I get to crush them._

He had ebony hair with a portion of it a dull, dark orange. He had tanned skin and crimson eyes, as well as dark orange tattoos under his eyes. His jacket was black like the one on the left, but he didn't wear the uniform. Instead, he had on an olive shirt and a dark red belt. He wore brown pants and boots, and there were white wraps around his arms.

"N-Nile? What are you doing here?" Gingka asked. The Egyptian looked at him and smirked.

"I am not Nile. I will rule. All of you will be crushed," he stated, emotionless.

"Nile? Why is he here?" Kyoya was a little surprised. "Anyway, I'm battling him now!"

"Wait, Ky-"

"LEONE!"

The green bey raced directly towards Horuseus, but the bey dodged easily. It tried, but each time, it missed.

"Horuseus's smooth plastic tip receives energy from the spin track. It can spin smoothly and easily," Nile murmured quietly.

"Just shut up, Nile. Special Move, King Lion Crushing Fang!" The tornado crashed into Horuseus, but nothing happened.

"You didn't learn anything from what I told you just now. Horuseus!"

The bey started attacking Leone, who was trapped. It couldn't do anything.

Horuseus finally moved back. Kyoya took this chance to act quickly.

"Lion Gale Force Wall!" The tornado barrier erupted around Leone.

"Horuseus. Mystical Evocation," Nile stated calmly. A gold wall, similar to Mystic Zone, formed around Horuseus. This time, Horus appeared and shot a blast of gold energy towards Leone. The ground erupted in a massive explosion of gold light and smoke. Kyoya's eyes widened as he saw the tornado dissipate and finally disappear altogether.

There was a final explosion and Kyoya was thrown back a few feet. When the smoke cleared, Leone lay completely crushed on the floor, while Horuseus circled around it before flying back to Nile's hand. "B-but how, Nile? How did you get so strong?" he gasped, while getting up.

"You're pathetic."

"Nile! How could you say that?" Yu had tears in his eyes, and he yelled at the boy, who took no notice of the gold-haired kid screaming at him.

"You aren't yourself! Fine then, I'll make you come to your senses! LIBRA!" the green bey flew at him. Nile launched Horuseus once again.

"Brat. Anyone who tries will be completely and utterly _crushed." _Nile snarled.

"I have to. I have to do this." Yu muttered to himself.

* * *

><p><strong>Riley was there 'cause she's and Ourano blader. Kyoya was there...well just because. I wanted him to battle Nile :D Exams are ending soon so I should have more time to write. *celebrates* OK, please review!<strong>


	14. Chapter 14

**Hi... sorry I haven't updated for really long. Exams are over though, so I'll have loads of time to write! This is the epic battle between Nile and Yu! *Dramatic music starts playing in background*...or maybe not. Also, there is Tsuki vs Seth and Fiona vs Kage, although their battles aren't really being mentioned! Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>"Libra!" Yu exclaimed. Libra started to attack Horuseus. Nile smirked.<p>

"No use."

Horuseus moved away from Libra and started to attack it.

"Didn't you say that you would battle me first? How could you go back on your word?!" Yu screamed through sobs. He was horrified. He knew Nile as someone who was laid-back and antisocial although he was on their side, and not as the monster in front of him.

"Horuseus," Nile stated calmly. The gold bey started glowing purple. Yu felt a pain in his chest and sank to his knees. His vision was blurred and he could hardly focus on Libra, who was spinning right in front of him.

* * *

><p>"Yu!" Tsuki said. "Are you OK?!" she launched Nightingale into the chaos but her bey was sent flying by another bey, the crimson one. The indigo haired boy smirked at them. His bey darted quickly around Nightingale, and Tsuki was finding it hard to read its movements. Then, the bey flew straight at Nightingale, sending it back. "B-but how? How was Nightingale beaten in a battle of strength?" she asked. "I guess you don't know me. I, Seth Wedlin and one of the Ourano Bladers have been entrusted with the duty of crushing you. Sanguis Coyote!" the beyspirit, a blood-red coyote appeared and swiped at Nightingale with a claw. Tsuki growled. An <em>evil <em>Ourano blader.

* * *

><p>"Hell's Curse. A dark move that not only attacks the bey, but brings pain to the blader as well."<p>

Yu looked up. The searing pain had faded to a dull, aching throb. His vision was clearer and so was his mind. Libra started spinning faster and Yu screamed.

"LIBRA! SPIN, SPIN AS FAST AS YOU CAN!"

Nile weakly raised his head. In the eternal darkness, he heard sounds. Familiar sounds. Faint noises of beys clashing against one another. He didn't care. He closed his eyes, pretending that nothing ever happened. The bright gold light had reached his chest now. The further it rose, the brighter and more beautiful it got. It also hurt. His head was aching, his whole body was aching. The light would sometimes seep in, coursing through his body and sometimes, a broken, hoarse scream would unknowingly escape his throat.

_"Battle me first...go back...word..."_

His head snapped up and started hurting again. He thought he had heard a small, tiny, soft voice of a child whispering in his mind. He was probably delirious.

"Nile, I don't know you anymore. You're not Nile. You're a monster."

Yu felt like a kid. Tears openly streamed down his face but he didn't care. All he wanted was for Nile to be back. Libra glowed lime green and started to generate energy. Yu smiled. Not even Nile would be able to break through his special move. "Final Infernal Vortex!" A massive column of bright green shot up from the bey and Horuseus was flung back a few feet. _Good, _Yu thought, _If I'm lucky, I should be able to finish it._

Too bad he wasn't lucky.

Horuseus wobbled slightly but was still spinning. Yu was shocked. How did Horuseus manage to withstand the attack?!

_"Don't know you...monster..."_

The voice was back, and it was louder. Nile was pretty sure he knew who it was. But he wouldn't let the protective barrier go away. Lies, all lies, he told himself. If no one could reach him and he shut himself out, it would hurt less. Truth, lies, good, evil... they all meant the same thing. Only one thing was clear. He didn't want anything right now.

"This is what a special move is really like. Demonic Inferno," Nile said. A black twister rose from the bey and consumed the entire battlefield. Now Libra was the one wobbling. It couldn't hold out for much longer. The tornado grew bigger and Yu was blown off his feet.

Nightingale hit Coyote hard and sent it flying. As soon as the bey touched the ground, it was hit by a flurry of furious attacks. Tsuki knew that Sanguis Coyote was a tough bey. It gave her a challenge. So she couldn't afford to slip up or lose her focus. She had to keep on attacking, and not let up. After the barrage attack, Nightingale changed modes and now, it was pure attack. The ultra-sharp blades were raw, exposed. They had a bumpy, rough surface to increase the surface area.

"Ah!"

She turned her head and lost her focus for a fatal few seconds. Yu was screaming as he tumbled to the ground. He crawled back up, checking for any injuries. She wanted so badly to see if her friend was OK. Then, she saw Fiona battling that other guy with the werewolf bey. She inwardly groaned. How many battles were going to take place at the same time? When her mind snapped back to the battle, she regretted not concentrating.

"Focus!"

Yu had one plan left. He knew Nile was too strong right now, and he had no chance of returning him to normal if he tried to beat him in a bey battle. His plan was stupid. It was childish. It had been thought up a few seconds ago. But it was the only plan left. It was to talk.

"Do you remember that time? When we went for a karaoke party Tsubasa forced us to attend?" Libra drew back and stopped attacking. Nile- or Evil Nile- or whoever had possessed him looked shocked. He opened his mouth to speak.

"What?"

* * *

><p><em>"Remember that time...karaoke party...forced us to attend..."<em>

Yu's voice, clearer and louder, reached Nile's head. The teen groaned in pain as bright colours and lights flashed continuously in front of him. He had to relieve a memory, one with _friends. _His so-called _friends_ that now, he thought of as liars and enemies.

* * *

><p><em>"And as the years go by<br>Boys, our friendship will never die  
>You're gonna see<br>It's our destiny  
>You've got a friend in me<br>You've got a friend in me  
>You've got a friend in meeeeeee!" Yu finished.<em>

_Nile clapped politely but he felt bored. Tsubasa, Yu, Gingka and Masamune were singing random happy songs that he hated. Right now, he was sprawled on the couch trying not to listen. Just then, Gingka dragged him on stage._

_"Sing something!"_

_"NO!"_

"Aww, please?" Yu was using those adorable puppy eyes. Nile sighed. It was only one song anyway and singing meant a break from hearing those sickly happy songs.

_"I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone__  
><em>_But though you're still with me__  
><em>_I've been alone all along_

_Me, me,me..."_

_Nile was actually quite a good singer. He felt happier now._

* * *

><p>Evil Nile held his head and groaned as he had the same flashback. Yu smiled. Was it working?<p>

Then, he snarled at Yu. "Don't try anything funny. It won't work."

Yu sighed. Looked like it didn't. But he would try, just one more time. He took a deep breath and started.

"Nile, I know you can hear me. I don't know where you are, or what happened to you. I just know something is wrong. So Nile, what's wrong? This isn't you and I know it. Tell me, I'm right here for you. Nile, tell me."

Nile felt pain.

Intense pain.

He hated memory, he hated friends; he hated life itself.

_"Nile, I know you can hear me. I don't know where you are, or what happened to you. I just know something is wrong. So Nile, what's wrong? This isn't you and I know it. Tell me, I'm right here for you. Nile, tell me."_

The voice was crystal clear now. It hurt, but it brought something that he hadn't felt in a long time. It wasn't very strong. It was warmth.

That just contributed to his wrecked state. Who was his friend? Who? He just didn't want to know.

But wasn't closing up an easier option?

Yu saw that nothing affected Nile. So he continued.

"Are you in pain, Nile? Why aren't you answering? Why aren't you responding to this? I have so many questions to ask you. You're not alone, Nile; you have friends. You have me, Nile. You consider me as a friend, don't you Nile?"

The Egyptian heard more disconcerting voices.

_"Are you in pain, Nile? Why aren't you answering? Why aren't you responding to this? I have so many questions to ask you. You're not alone, Nile; you have friends. You have me, Nile. You consider me as a friend, don't you Nile?"_

Then, he made a decision.

He would help Yu. It would stop the voices, and Yu was a child. The first friend Nile had. Even though friends didn't mean anything to him anymore, he would still help Yu. Then, he would shut everything out again and fall into the eternal darkness, trapped, with no one to help him...

"No! Libra!" Yu shouted as the inferno grew bigger and sucked his bey in. Libra started to wobble and crack a little. _Not good, Libra! _Yu didn't want this to happen to his beloved bey. He had received it when he was a baby, and it was the only bey he would- and ever- work with.

Just as he was trying to think of a plan, the massive inferno wavered a little and Libra dropped back out.

_Huh?!_

The tornado seemed to be weakening on its own. But that wasn't possible. Finally, the black twister surrounding Horuseus melted and the bey was knocked to the side by some unknown force. Yu was confused. Who was attacking Horuseus?

His question was soon answered.

He saw a vague image of a teen standing a few feet away from him. A teen with orange and brown hair, emerald eyes and orange tattoos. Yu froze. Nile? But how? Nile had several wounds on his body and his posture was horribly twisted and unnatural, like something, a light, a spark of life, had dissipated inside him. Meanwhile, Evil Nile glared at his other self in both shock and contempt. He had managed to get out of his mind, and that was bad news. Hopefully, in his weakened state, he wouldn't be able to do much.

"Nile?!" Yu exclaimed. The boy weakly said, "Horuseus, attack now..." A pale, faint bey whizzed towards Horuseus and the two identical beys clashed, with Nile's being pushed back. Nile's shoulders were glowing golden and his body seemed to be growing fainter and fainter. Yu could hardly see him...

"Yu, we don't have much time for this...let's finish this quickly..." Nile told the gold-haired boy standing near to him. The light was up to his neck now. His emerald eyes stared straight at Yu, though Yu had the feeling he didn't mean to.

"Nile, but...you-"

"We have to, Yu...don't worry, I'm fine..." Nile said softly. His breathing was shallow and laboured and he shook with every attempt to breathe or move. The light had reached his cheek now and he could hardly be seen. Yu swore that he felt Nile's cold hands placed on his shoulder.

"What-" _I get it! The higher the light goes, the more it hurts Nile!_

"Yu, please..." Nile murmured pleadingly. "We have no time..." The light was at his hair.

_We have to hurry!_

"Libra, tip the scales, Ebony Obliberation!" Yu yelled at his bey.

"M-mystical Evocation..." Nile got out. The light had almost reached the top and it was really, really bright. Almost blinding.

Two pillars, one black and one gold erupted. They flew straight at Horuseus. Evil Nile yelled in anguish as he had been defeated. He felt himself disappearing.

_Oh well, at least I'll never die..._

"Shoot!" Tsuki said. She had lost. Bending down to pick up Nightingale, she thought about her defeat. She had gotten her revenge by throwing some water balloons at Seth. Fiona had won. Seth's Coyote had a clawed energy ring that could cut through her vacuum shield.

"You know, you might have won if you hadn't lost your concentration!" Seth called.

Tsuki growled. Being beaten was okay, but she hated being taunted. _And, _she had run out of water balloons.

Yu stared in shock as he saw a very beat up Nile in front of him. Normal. He looked really weak and pale.

"Yu, I-"

That was all Nile managed to get out before he slumped on the ground, unconscious.

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><p><strong>Poor Nile! I feel so bad. And this chapter is really long so hopefully you survived it. As always, critiques are welcome and please review!<strong>


	15. Chapter 15

**I'm back! Yet another OC is introduced here. Enjoy!**

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><p>"Show them how strong you are, Kaiian."<p>

"Of course, Master."

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><p>Yu ran to support Nile. The boy was barely breathing. Yu scrunched his nose at the nauseous stench of metallic blood snaking its way out of the wounds. He saw that Nile's skin was also badly burnt. Not knowing what to do, he turned to Tsuki.<p>

"What do we do?!"

"Hang on, I'm calling the hospital."

_Nile, what happened..._

* * *

><p>During the battles, Gingka, Chris, Riley and Astri had ran off towards the building. Amidst the chaos, they were able to slip away unnoticed. Fearing that they might be noticed if they used the more common lift, they took the stairs.<p>

LEVEL 10

"How...many...more?" Gingka panted. Chris grunted in response. Riley was really tired, so he was carrying his younger sister on his back.

"I don't...know...the building seemed about...thirty stories...Riley, STOP IT!" Riley had lost her balance and banged against her brother's back. causing him to cry out in pain. She sheepishly clambered back in place.

As they trudged along, Astri was flinging open every single door that looked suspicious. So far, there was no trace of Dynamis. Then, she came to a room labelled "101. Only Authorised Personnel allowed to enter" Astri grimaced. "Well that's suspicious," she commented, raising a leg to kick the door down. Before she could do that, she was interrupted by the sound of footsteps echoing in the otherwise silent corridor and a dark voice. She whipped her head around.

"Who's there?"

"An Ourano Blader, perhaps?"

A stocky boy wearing a tatty sleeveless brown jacket over a lime green shirt, dark jeans and lime sneakers emered. He had light apple green hair that stood up in stiff spikes. His eyes were light amber, giving him an eerie and weird look. He launched his bey, a lightweight silver and pale green bey. Its fusion wheel had two layers. The inner layer was thin but strong. It guarded the fusion wheel while the outer layer had extensions that looked like snake heads. The spin track looked pretty weak but it was somewhat guarded by the energy ring, which was shaped a little like flames that curved downwards. The performance tip was flat.

"Now go, Destruction Chimera!" The beast, a fearsome silvery chimera appeared and roared. It headed towards Riley and Chris, who had no choice but to launch their beys. Forest Roe and Flash Orion met the attack. As they seemed to be winning, the two beys were suddenly flung back.

"Ah! Roe!"

"Be careful, Riley! The fusion wheel can switch around very fast. When it hits a bey, the snake heads are brought forward to attack again! It deals double damage!" Chris realised. Roe moved forward to take the hits. Even double-damage attacks hardly did anything to Roe's thick fusion wheel.

"Special move. Whirlwind Savage!"

A violent whirlwind was generated and headed for Roe's weak spot- its performance tip. Forest Roe was done for. Riley whimpered as she closed her eyes and braced herself. However, the impact didn't came. She opened her eyes to see Flash Orion being blown back.

"Chris!"

Riley ran back to help her brother, who was on the floor. He stumbled to his feet and said, "How about we end this now?"

"Roe, Cloud Fissure!" Riley called out her new special move. The ground shook violently as the deer spirit jumped up into the air before stomping on the ground. Chimera began to wobble as well.

"Orion, Flash Ignition!" Orion glowed brightly and three spheres of red light surrounded it. The spheres then raced towards Chimera, erupting into blasts of red energy. The shaking increased. Finally, The blast hit the bey, causing it to be sent flying.

"Argh! That wasn't fair!" Kaiian cried before running off.

Astri proceeded to kick down the door before running in. Riley saw Chris hobble up with a pained expression.

"Are you all right?" she asked, concerned.

"Nah, I'm fine. My ankle just hurts," he replied before stepping on it lightly and howling in pain. "OW!"

"We need to get you to a doctor later,"

Astri gasped at the room's bleak white walls. It was huge. A woman with navy hair hummed to herself as she monitored...something. It just looked like a pillar filled with transluscent turquoise liquid. Interrupted, she turned around, revealing her sharp cyan eyes. Astri was shocked and stared at her in disbelief.

"Mum?!"

The woman sighed. "And I thought coloured lenses and dyed hair would be enough to disguise me. Anyway, Astri, why are you with _these _guys? Don't tell me you want to oppose me?"

"Y-you're a..Skia Blader?"

"Not a blader, the head. Join us."

Astri was horrified. Her mum was evil?

"NO! Besides, I'm looking for Dynamis..." she strode forward a few steps. Now, she could make out a figure floating in the liquid. It was a young teen with spiky lavender hair. He wore a white robe. His eyes were closed and he looked like he was sleeping, in a peaceful dream, but Astri knew otherwise. She could tell by the way his eyes were tightly shut and his eyebrows furrowed. Dynamis was clearly being tormented.

"D-dynamis? Mum, what are you doing to him?!" Astri tripped over some words. She looked up to her mother. She was beautiful, kind, righteous...not this evil woman who was torturing her brother. Her own _son. _But why? Astri couldn't figure it out. She couldn't figure out why her parents hated Dynamis so much.

"The key... stronger than all the other Ourano bladers combined, I believe."

Astri couldn't believe her ears. _The key? Dynamis is the key? _She could barely hear her mother continuing."

"All I wanted was perfection. You were perfect, Astri. We loved you. Then, then _he _came. As the temple guardian, he _had _to inherit Hades Curse. He was special, powerful, but we didn't want that. We wanted perfection. Because of Hades Curse, he was flawed. We don't _do _flawed."

_Per-perfect...but Dynamis...it wasn't his fault...he inherited both Zeus's power and Hades's Curse..._

"Dynamis!" She launched Starlight. It bounced off the wall and onto a control panel. It hit a button and instantly, the liquid receded. The boy crumpled to the bottom of the tube. He slowly stood back up and opened his eyes. Those eyes, once a beautiful, bright sapphire was now a dull, lifeless blue.

_Astri?_

"Astri?" he whispered.

"Dynamis! I'm going to get you out, don't worry!" Astri exclaimed. She didn't see her mother pressing another button.

_System Rebooting. This may take a few seconds._

_I may be broken, but...I can prevent others from meeting the same fate..._

"No, Astri, it's too late, it's too dangerous. Don't do it..." Dynamis said.

"What? What are you talking about?"

Dynamis shied away as the liquid level started to rise. "N-no! Ow!" he cried softly. Then, he fell silent. What was the use?

He got out one last sentence.

"Don't, Astri." The liquid completely filled the pillar and the Jupiter Blader's eyes closed.

Something blazed inside Astri. A fire. How could her mother do this?

"STARLIGHT!"

The bey glowed searing hot and leapt into the air. It spiralled higher and higher up until it could hardly be seen. Astri didn't care.

"HIGHER, STARLIGHT, HIGHER! SPECIAL MOVE, DIVING STARBURST!"

The bey was really high up now. It absorbed the power of the stars in the universe and for the first time, its beyspirit emerged. A beautiful young woman cloaked in shimmering gold robes that glowed like stars. She held a harp made of starlight in her hands. As her slender fingers swept across the strings, the stars' power were fully absorbed. The bey shot back down, glowing brighter and brighter. The harp dissolved and turned into a star, which the woman threw downwards. The stars surrounded Celestial Starlight before exploding.

Then, the whole room was filled with blinding gold light as Starlight unleashed its true power.

* * *

><p><strong>Astri has a new special move now:)<strong>

**So everyone finally figured out that Dynamis is the key. **

**Dynamis: ...**

**Me: Don't be mad. Anyway please review!**


	16. Chapter 16

**NyxAbsol back with another chapter. I hope it isn't boring. Anyway Enjoy!**

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><p>As the light faded, Astri was able to see once again. Gingka, Riley and Chris had been thrown back a few feet and were on the ground. Corisande, except for the layer of dust on her suit was relatively unscathed. That was surprising. Dynamis was still imprisoned in the tube, which hadn't budged an inch.<p>

"You know, Astri didn't mention that she _wasn't _an Ourano Blader..." Gingka muttered, with Chris nodding in agreement.

"Did you think I didn't know you were coming? My suit is made of a shockproof material. The glass tube also contains that chemical, making it shockproof as well. Why don't you just give up and join us, Astri?""

"Are you crazy? Why would I join someone, even my mother, who has hurt my brother?!"

She remembered that time when Dynamis had admitted how he felt.

* * *

><p><em>Astri was bored. She wandered around the temple, looking for something to do. Then, she noticed her younger brother. He was clothed in his robes as usual, and he sat hunched on the balcony, his arms crossed, his tuft of spiky lavender hair wafting in the gentle breeze. His eyes were serious, as if they were searching for something. Astri decided to go over. She tapped Dynamis's shoulder, making him jump and turn around. His eyes became cheerful once more.<em>

_"W-what's up, Astri?" he asked, stuttering a little._

_"I saw you at the balcony. What's wrong?" Astri replied, concerned. Dynamis turned away a little._

_"Well...nothing, but..." the young boy trailed off. returning to gazing at the stars. Astri probed again. "What?"_

_He was silent for a few moments. Finally, he sighed, blurting out, "Sometimes I wonder why I have the curse..."_

_Astri was shocked. Dynamis was only eight. He had known about the curse by accident, when he spied on his parents. Astri didn't think that it would affect him too much, but she was wrong. Dynamis was already showing subtle signs of giving in._

_"Oh...Dynamis..."_

_"I h-hear voices sometimes...its scary, Astri..." he sobbed. Astri hugged her brother._

_"It haunts me, Astri...I'm scared..." Astri allowed her brother to burrow into her._

_"You're strong, Dynamis," she said, trying to comfort him. But it didn't work._

_"I wish I was you. Y-you don't know what it feels like to have whispers in your mind. You don't know the pain."_

_"Its going to be fine, Dynamis..." Astri soothed. She felt him slowly stop shaking as he cried himself to sleep. However, his mouth moved slightly as he said something. He was drowsy, but the curse called for him._

_"B-but why? Why me?"_

_"Because you were too strong... so you have to have the curse to balance it. I know its not fair..."_

_Eternal torment._

_Astri would never forget the heartbroken tone in her brother's quivering voice._

_"I'm scared, Astri... scared of being lost in this darkness..."_

* * *

><p>Astri was guilty. Dynamis hadn't gotten to enjoy his childhood like other children. It wasn't fair, not at all.<p>

Suddenly, she felt a pair of burly arms wrap around her. She saw a uniformed guy dragging her out. Looking around, she saw her friends being ushered out as well. She kicked and clawed uselessly at the man's vice-like grip. "LET ME GO!" she screamed as she was dumped outside.

She saw that Tithi, Yu, Kyoya, Fiona and Tsuki had gone off.

"I'M FINE, RILEY!" Chris screamed as Riley dragged him to the nearest hospital. She cocked her head. "What happened?"

"He injured his ankle during the fight with the Ourano Blader and refuses to admit that he's injured."

Gingka and Astri helped to bundle a protesting Chris onto a taxi.

* * *

><p>"Broken? What do you mean its broken?! And why can't I battle?!" Chris demanded. The doctor sighed, rolling his eyes. "I told you already, your ankle is broken, you need a cast and crutches, so you can't battle!" he slammed his hand on the table, emphasizing his point. Having lost the argument, Chris sat back in his chair, sulking as the doctor put a cast on his foot and directed him towards another room to get crutches.<p>

As Chris limped slowly out of the room, he caught sight of Tithi and Kyoya. "Hey, what are they doing here?" he asked as he moved towards them.

"Tithi? Why are you here with Yo-yo? And where's the others?" Riley asked as she hugged her friend. "Yu is in the ward, and Fiona and Tsuki are at the counter checking with the doctor," he replied.

"What? What happened to Yu?" Astri asked, half concerned about him, half still wondering about Dynamis.

"No, not Yu. The other one!"

"Huh?" They were seriously confused now.

"I think he called him Nile."

Nile? Even Astri snapped back to attention. What had happened to him? And wasn't he evil?

"Why is Nile in the hospital?"

"A lot of complicated stuff happened that I don't really know how to explain but he's severely injured," Tithi said as he plopped back down on the seat. Gingka immediately headed towards the room when Tithi gave him the number. When he found it, he gently pushed the door opened and entered.

Nile was on the hospital bed, horribly still. There were bandages wrapped around his arms and legs, and he could tell that his back and stomach were wrapped as well. His eyes were covered with gauze. Yu was seated next to the bed, not saying anything.

"Yu? What exactly happened?"

"Gingky?" Yu's voice was slurred from tiredness. "I don't know, but basically Nile had two selves or something. He helped me defeat Evil Nile. I have no idea how he got these injuries..." he trailed off. Just then, Kyoya entered as well. Everyone looked at him.

"Don't ask me either. I came here for my battle with Gingka."

"Heartless..." Yu whispered as he continued to watch Nile.

"Kyoya..." Gingka declined. "I don't think this is the right thing to do now..."

* * *

><p>Nile's POV:<p>

I felt myself awakening from the terrifying darkness. I have control over my body again, yet it feels like something is missing. I wonder...is it trust?

No. I've been hurt to much. Trusting isn't something I can do anymore.

Besides, I was still enveloped in darkness. I can feel gauze against my eyes. Startled, panicked, I tried to rip it off.

I can hear voices shouting, trying to calm me down, but they seem so far away...

* * *

><p>"Nile!" Yu cried as he pulled the bandage around his eyes off. His bright emerald eyes were dull. Gingka held him down as Nile struggled to get up. His eyes stared vacantly into space, wide and frightened. "I-I can't see-get off me-"<p>

_Nile can't see?_

"Its infection to his eyes. Causes temporary blindness. It'll go away soon, though." Kyoya said.

"Did you hear that, Nile? It's OK! Calm down!" Yu cried. He wasn't prepared for his response.

"No! Stop your lies! I won't believe anything you say!"

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><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed! I think yet another OC will be introduced in the next chapter. And Astri is an Ourano Blader :) Please review! Critiques welcome!<strong>


	17. Chapter 17

**OK, this took forever to write. And its pretty long. 2 OCs will be introduced. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Gingka stepped out of the hospital ward along with Astri.<p>

"What on earth happened to Nile? Astri asked."

"Don't ask me. I have no idea," Gingka replied. According to the doctor, Nile had a broken arm, a broken leg, severe injuries to his body, mainly his stomach and back, malnutrition, and his nerves were mostly destroyed. If they were lucky, the doctor would be able to reset them, but it wasn't very certain. And in his current state, Nile was in no shape to receive treatment. Yu was still inside, Kyoya had left some time ago to get lunch, Riley was there to accompany Yu, and Chris was taking care of the two young children.

Gingka and Astri had gone out to buy lunch for everybody. They could see Fiona and Tsuki heading towards the ward.

"So how long is Nile staying in the hospital?" Astri asked.

"It depends on how long he takes to recover. I would say he won't be discharged for some time, given that he's pretty...traumatized," Tsuki said. Gingka nodded, wondering what had actually happened to Nile. When the Horuseus blader was evil, he seemed perfectly fine. Now, he was just a wreck.

"May I help you?"

Gingka and Astri turned around, startled. They saw a young girl, around 10, standing in front of them. She had thick, dark ruby-red hair tied up in a messy ponytail, loose strands falling beside her face. Her enormous eyes were crimson. A golden clip in the shape of two wings was nestled in her hair, keeping her fringe away and she wore an baggy, almost over sized uniform. She was currently staring at them, her arms crossed. She was so adorable, Gingka and Astri's shock quickly melted.

"No... and who are you?" Astri asked.

The little girl ignored the question. "If not, you're blocking the corridor."

The duo then realised that they were standing in the middle of the pathway and blushed red with embarrassment. "Sorry!" they moved away quickly. "So who are you?" Gingka pressed. Then again, it wasn't every day that they had random people asking them random questions. _Help you?!_

The girl's face broke into a friendly smile. "My name's Rhea! I'm a volunteer at this hospital."

"That's nice," Gingka said as he started to walk away. Then, Rhea caught Gingka's hand.

"Wait, are you Gingka Hagane?" the Pegasus blader nodded. "Wow!" Astri yawned. "So? Tsuki and I annihilated him."

"Its true..." Gingka muttered.

"AMAZING! Can I battle you? Both of you?" she asked.

Gingka was confused. "Wait, you're a blader?" Astri looked at the girl. She was smaller and younger than Yu, Riley or even Tithi. How could she have gotten a bey the first place? Rhea giggled. "When I'm free, I love to beyblade!"

"OK then, it wouldn't do any harm..." Astri trailed off. She was still thinking about Dynamis. _I don't really care._

"Yay! I'm almost done, so meet me outside the hospital in about..." she glanced down at her watch. "2 hours, 'K?" Gingka nodded. She smiled and ran off- presumably to attend to some patients. Gingka stared at her. "Okay..."

* * *

><p>-2 hours later-<p>

Gingka and the others were waiting outside, just like Rhea had told them to. However, she was nowhere to be seen. Astri was getting fed up, too. She was hungry and not in the mood to battle. Gingka was hungry too, but unlike Astri, he was actually excited about battling. Astri brushed it off as childishness and that comment made Gingka angry. The two were now in a _very _heated argument and the others were trying to break up the fight- unsuccessfully. Yu was all set to use Libra, but Chris felt that it was too extreme and was restraining him. Tithi, Riley, Kyoya, Fiona and Tsuki were the only ones not arguing. They looked at the fights- and inevitable scuffles- unfolding.

"I am NOT childish! I am passionate about blading!"

"Well, only kids chatter nonstop before they fight some small punk!"

"I WANT TO USE LIBRA! ITS THE BEST WAY!"

"This is a hospital! Do you want to disturb the patients?"

"Um, guys..."

"I don't think you should..."

"Am I interrupting?"

Everyone suddenly stopped arguing and turned their heads to Rhea, who was staring at them with a confused expression on her face. She had changed out of her hospital uniform and now wore a dark long-sleeved red shirt with a pale blue scarf. She also wore a navy skirt with light blue ribbons and suede boots. Beside her was another young girl, with short, dark green hair that reached above her shoulders. She had light blue eyes that sparkled and wore a baggy dark green jacket over a navy shirt, jeans and purple sneakers.

"Who's the... friend?" Chris asked.

"This is my best friend, Adira!" Rhea chirped. She then whipped out her bey. It was extremely pretty, mainly ice blue with a ruby red warped fusion wheel and performance tip and a broad sapphire-coloured energy ring. Adira smiled and took out hers. A white bey with a scythe-like dark green fusion wheel, a thin performance tip and a thick green energy ring.

"Lets battle!" They both chanted in unison, readying their launchers.

Gingka smiled. "I guess I'll battle Rhea first," Astri shrugged. Tithi looked at Adira. _I haven't battled for SO long! I need to battle NOW or I'll go crazy! _Unable to resist the temptation any longer, he blurted out, "Can I battle Adira?" the green haired girl looked at Tithi. "You're Tithi? A legendary blader?" When the magenta boy nodded, Adira grinned. "Cool! Of course I'll battle you!" Tithi cheered. "Yay!"

"I've battled a lot. I think I need a rest," Yu said. Riley wanted to practice by herself. Chris was grumbling as they went to the beypark. He couldn't battle because of his stupid broken ankle. _I'll get my revenge on Kaiian someday! _he thought, cheering up. Fiona and Tsuki didn't really mind, and Kyoya, well he just wanted to battle Gingka.

* * *

><p>-At the beypark-<p>

As there was only 1 stadium, it was decided that Adira and Tithi would battle first. The two children ran to their respective sides of the stadium.

"3!"

"2- Oh I can't wait anymore, Let it rip!" Adira shouted as she launched her bey.

"Wait!" Tithi exclaimed as he hurriedly launched Quetzalcoatl, which was set in attack mode.

"Attack now Quetzalcoatl!" Tithi cried as his yellow beyblade smashed hard into Adira's bey.

"Neige Leopard!" Adira cried in alarm as her bey was sent flying. Astri shook her head. _She's not an Ourano blader..._

Leopard struggled to regain its balance and moved away as Quetzalcoatl charged again. Adira smiled. "Show them your speed, Leopard!" the green bey started zipping around the stadium at incredible speeds. All Tithi could see was a blurred green streak barreling around the stadium.

"That isn't even Leopard's full speed!" Adira declared proudly. Gingka was amazed. "How is it able to move so fast?" Chris was lazily watching a few feet away. As he kept a close eye on the bey, he turned to Yu. "What was the performance tip?"

"I think its a..." Yu concentrated hard and stared at Leopard. "A sharp thin one." Chris nodded and applied his physic skills which were a little rusty. Fortunately, he was good in science. _The thin and sharp performance tip may reduce balance, but also reduces surface area! There's less friction to oppose it! _he shouted to Tithi. "Tithi! It's because of the performance tip!" Tithi nodded. If Leopard's weakness was balance, then he would attack the tip. "Go Quetzalcoatl!" he yelled at his bey.

The amber bey smashed into Leopard but was pushed back. He was shocked. "Wha..."

"Did you forget Leopard's scythe-like fusion wheel? Its set lower than usual! Your bey is taking damage and you didn't even know it!" Adira called.

Leopard continued to hit his bey with a strong barrage attack. Its movements were so smooth, graceful and fluid, just like a graceful, athletic snow leopard. Just as Tithi had managed to read Leopard's rhythm, Adira suddenly said, "Tempo Switch!" The white and green bey immediately switched to an entirely different rhythm, attacking aggresively and smacking Quetzalcoatl into the air before striking with an uppercut attack.

Tithi was stuck. _What do I do?!_

He studied Leopard closely. Just between the energy ring and the fusion wheel, there was a weak spot that was unguarded. The spin track was quite ordinary. Apparently the spin track wasn't designed for balance and endurance. Tithi smiled confidently. He had got this.

"Quetzalcoatl, now!" he commanded. Quetzalcoatl jumped and hit Leopard's weak spot. The green and white bey almost flew out of the arena, but it managed to stay in. However, it was wobbling. Adira scowled. Tithi had figured out her weakness. _I guess its this move then..._

"Special move! Neige Leopard, Snowing Hurricane!"

Tithi countered back with his own special move. "Quetzalcoatl, Ishtar Impact!"

The two beasts emerged from the beys- a amber-coloured winged serpent and a graceful snow leopard. Neige Leopard circled around the stadium at almost light speed, and a hurricane made out of rapidly swirling snow engulfed the arena. Meanwhile, Quetzalcoatl battled the powerful wall of snow.

"DON'T GIVE UP QUETZALCOATL!"

"LEOPARD!"

The huge hurricane expanded in size and strength and chilly gales swept across the entire beypark, making the entire group shiver. Meanwhile, both Tithi and Quetzalcoatl glowed amber. The snake deity roared as it gave one last burst of power. Smoke erupted from the battlefield just as the cold suddenly started to fade.

When the smoke cleared, the hurricane was gone and Neige Leopard was at Adira's feet. Quetzalcoatl circled around the stadium, barely spinning.

Tithi smiled. "YES!" when he saw a depressed Adira, he comforted her. "That was a great battle, Adira! You're really strong and fun!" the little girl, having been praised by one of the Legendary Bladers smiled. "Thanks Tithi! Will we battle again?"

"Yeah! Me, you, Yu and Riley!"

"OK!"

Tithi ran back to the benches and high-fived you. Rhea jumped up and pointed at Gingka. "It's my turn now!"

The redhead walked to one end of the stadium. "You ready, Rhea?"

The small girl was pumped. "I am SET!"

* * *

><p><strong>I have been waiting forever to introduce those two! Er, I'm not very sure what to write for the next chapter. It can be either Gingka vs Rhea...<strong>

**Rhea: OH YEAH!**

**Me:... or a torture chapter. *smirks evilly***

**Dynamis: Me or Nile?**

**Me: Wait didn't I save Nile already? And I haven't properly done a torture chapter for you in a long time.**

**Dynamis: Me then... *silent***

**Me: Critiques welcome and please review!**


	18. Chapter 18

**OK, this chapter is going to be Rhea vs Gingka. Sorry anyone who wanted a Dynamis torture chapter.**

**Rhea: WOOHOO!**

**Dynamis: *is sighing in relief***

**Me: But the next chapter is going to have an even more awesome chapter about torturing Dynamis!**

**Dynamis: *was just shaken out of his relief* Wha-what? Huh? What just happened?**

**Me: Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>"3!"<p>

"2!"

"1!"

"Let it rip!"

Pegasus raced around in a wide loop, trying to read the bey's movements. Surprisingly, it was something like Pegasus. However, there was something different-something that none of them could figure out. Rhea smiled widely. "My bey Ruby Equia is the best!" she cheered, as the bey closed in on Pegasus. Gingka frowned.

"Hit it hard, Pegasus!" Gingka called. The darker blue bey slammed into Equia, causing it to be pushed back. "Ah!" Rhea said, as Equia hit the edge of the stadium. It moved away from the edge and Gingka was shocked to see that the ice-blue bey was almost completely unaffected. Now, it's rhythm had completely changed. As Pegasus tried to hit it again, Equia dodged at the last moment and landed a successful sneak attack.

"Me and Adira always place emphasis on rhythm! Having an unpredictable battle style is a huge advantage!" Rhea explained. Equia's bey spirit emerged- a young, small ruby Pegasus with beautiful feathered wings. Gingka was shocked. "A Pegasus?!"

"Change your rhythm again, Equia!" Rhea ordered as Equia circled around the stadium, not attacking. Pegasus remained in the middle, waiting for the perfect chance to attack. "My bey's strength is stamina, so I might just wait this battle out!" she said.

Gingka scowled. As soon as Pegasus touched Equia, it was sent back. Astri observed quietly in a corner, thinking. _Its warped fusion wheel can both boost attack power and send back attacks when it changes modes. Gingka might not know it, but Pegasus is in a tough spot. That Rhea girl... she's interesting. I can't wait to battle her._

Equia's bey spirit emerged a second time. This time, it was a sapphire-coloured unicorn that galloped around the arena. _Not just a Pegasus, but a unicorn, too? How crazy can this bey get? _Gingka wondered. "Cosmic Tornado!" he shouted, as Pegasus circled around at high speeds, smashing into Equia and making it wobble slightly. However, Pegasus started to wobble as well. Gingka was confused. Pegasus was still OK before the attack, so what had happened.

_What is that bey?!_

Gingka was concentrating hard. Equia got its name from "Equus", which meant horse. So, it was able to take the forms of all types of horses, including not only Pegasi and unicorns, but also... _No, it couldn't be... another bey spirit..._

Then, Riley realised it. "Gingka! The energy ring sticks out beneath the fusion wheel and is able to deal damage to! So Pegasus has been taking more damage than you thought!" she stated. Gingka nodded. "Thanks, Riley!"

"Pay attention!" Rhea yelled, annoyed. "Equia, special move! Galaxy Heart!"

Now, an emerald-coloured alicorn emerged from the bey. _How many freaking bey spirits does Ruby Equia have? _Everyone thought. The alicorn- or Equia- raised its horn which glowed with a purple light, absorbing the power of the galaxy. Then, it unleashed that very power.

"Pegasus! Counter it with Cosmic Tornado!" That was the only thing Gingka could think of to counter it. The spinning tornado met a bolt of violent black energy (A/N: Just imagine its the colour of the galaxy) in the shape of a heart. Then, Rhea said something that shocked everyone.

"Gingka, if Pegasus has wings and Alicorn has both magic and wings, what does that tell you about their strength? Special move, Sapphire Storm!"

"Um... with added magic... Alicorn is..." Gingka didn't even get to finish his sentence before Rhea called out another special move.

_Another special move?_

Alicorn flapped its wings furiously, conjuring up a violent storm. Sapphire-coloured lightning struck the heart-shaped energy, strengthening it. At the same time, Pegasus was buffeted by the strong winds. The black heart smashed into Pegasus, making it rear up and whinny in pain, falling back.

Gingka finally finished his sentence. "I just can't believe it... but Equia- or Alicorn- is stronger..."

Suddenly, the Pegasus bey spirit faded as it was sucked back into the bey, which was stationary and unmoving in the stadium. Tsuki and Astri both deadpanned.

"The Number 1 blader in the world was just beaten," they chorused. Gingka hung his head and turned to Rhea. "Well Rhea, you're an amazing blader," he said. Rhea smiled. "Now who do I get to battle next?" she asked excitedly.

In response, Astri got up from her seat and held Celestial Starlight-which wasn't Celestial Starlight any more. Its silver fusion wheel had now split. The upper part was now gold, and it still retained its wings, but the silver lower part was fixed to the spin track instead, having an unusual design. Its performance tip was still the same, but was now made of plastic instead of rubber.

She looked at it. "Wha..."

"I think Starlight evolved. Well, Astri just realised she's an Ourano blader," Chris reasoned. Astri held up her bey and admired it as it glinted in the gentle golden sunlight. "Evolved, huh? Well, Starlight, I guess you never fail to surprise me. You're now..." she struggled with words. She had no idea what to name her new bey. She didn't want anything fancy. She just wanted a simple, fitting name that suited Starlight. Just then, a beautiful comet shot across the sky. It painted a gorgeous, bright streak in the evening sky. Astri smiled. Celestial Starlight was gone, but she had a new, reborn Starlight. And she knew what to name it.

"...Comet Starlight. Yeah! Comet Starlight... it seems to fit perfectly!" Astri said as she hugged her bey to her chest.

_I'm stronger now. Does that mean I can rescue Dynamis? _she thought. She was distracted for a moment.

Well, until Rhea brought her back to reality.

"Astri? Astri? What's an Ourano blader? Huh? HUH?!" Rhea demanded, jumping up and down. Astri smiled, bending down and gently ruffling the girl's hair. "I'll tell you after I battle, OK?" she replied. Rhea nodded. "You promise?"

"I promise, Rhea. I mean, have you ever seen me lie?"

"I guess not. But I've only known you for about half an hour." Astri blushed red in embarrassment. She had just been outsmarted by a little girl.

"Are you OK, Astri? You've been zoning out a lot lately..." Chris said. The Starlight blader sighed and waved it off.

"Yes, I'm fine. Can we start?" she answered, rather tersely. She didn't know why she was so angry. She hadn't meant it to come out like that. After all, Chris was just showing concern from her.

"Let's battle, then! I'm dying to go again!" Rhea shouted happily, attaching Ruby Equia to her launcher and getting ready. Astri headed to the other side of the stadium and smirked. _Rhea, let's just hope that you'll be able to cheer me up! _she readied her launcher and bey. "I won't go easy on you!" Rhea took this as an insult and glared at Astri. "You don't need to! Shut up and launch already!"

_She has a lot of spunk. I think I might like her._

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"LET IT RIP!"

_How ironic. I just said I don't lie and here I am, lying to everyone that I'm fine..._

* * *

><p>The navy-haired woman- or Corisande- frowned as she looked closely at the list of options. She had planned for a longer rest time for the "key", but her darling daughter just had to ruin their plans. Now they were running short on time and needed to hurry. Fast. She glanced over at the teen still asleep in the tube, facing the dark nightmares. She muttered something. "You've had those nightmares all your life. This is just a very amplified version of it."<p>

Then, she turned to the aide beside her.

"Seth, help me check the status on the 'key'," she ordered. The indigo haired boy nodded, pulling out a sleek tablet and tapping some buttons. He frowned.

"He's just well enough for the next round, but barely. I think we should..." Corisande was deep in thought before answering.

"No, Seth. We're running out of time. I think we should take a risk and proceed. Prepare to wake him up now," she said crisply and sharply. The teen nodded and punched in some orders on the tablet.

"Yes Master."

_So, my son... I'm not sorry I have to do this to you. We need to risk it. We just have to._

The woman stared at the teen.

"Hmm... you probably don't know your worth, don't you..."

She stood up to leave and start preparations. Just as she closed the door, she had yet another thought. She sneaked a final glance towards the tube.

_I have to say this, Dynamis... as long as I achieve my goals... to take the power of the Ourano bladers, especially yours, and turn it into power to rule... I can't help it. Humans are naturally greedy by nature. So, as long as I achieve my goals..._

_...I don't care what it takes. And I don't care what I have to do to you._

* * *

><p><strong>I have to say it. I really, really love to write these torture chapters.<strong>

**Dynamis: WHY?!**

**Me: Its fun.**

**Dynamis: *sniffles* Its not...**

**Me: Critiques welcome and please review!**

**Side note: I secretly believe that Rhea and Ruby Equia are the mascots of Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald! I mean...**

**Ruby Equia**

**Sapphire Storm  
><strong>

**Emerald**** Alicorn**


	19. Chapter 19

**This is the torture chapter about Dynamis. Yay!**

**Dynamis: NOOOO!**

**Me: He won't be physically hurt, don't worry.**

**Dynamis: *Frowns* then how is it a torture chapter?**

**Me: I didn't say you wouldn't be mentally hurt!**

**Dynamis: ...**

**Me: Um, there's a song in this chapter. "Desperate" by David Archeluta. I like his songs. Anyway I don't own MFB! Please enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Dynamis opened his eyes. He awoke, but differently. Instead of a painful electric shock, he felt something flowing into him. He didn't know how to describe it. It was like a chemical coursing through his veins, waking him up in a more natural manner. But using chemicals was hardly natural. And that was an example about how horrible his life was now. He felt something being clamped over his head. A metal shackle-like device, covering his eyes as well.<p>

_Desperate..._

He felt like something had been injected into his brain. Like a chip. A nanochip. He looked around his now-familiar world of only turquoise.

He had a bad feeling. He would probably be tortured- again. That was what happened when he was woken up from his only relief from reality, sleep. But that was failing him too. The nightmares were too scary. Awake or asleep, Dynamis felt no difference. Peering through the thick film, he could see an indigo-haired boy looking up at him. He didn't say anything. Instead, Dynamis narrowed his eyes at him. The teen simply smirked.

"Be grateful that we're waking you up this way. Another electric shock would risk harming your body too much beyond repair, and that would ruin our plans completely. This method is more expensive, but worth it." Then, the boy briskly walked out of the room. The navy-haired woman entered, nodding her head in thanks at the indigo-haired boy. Dynamis glared at her.

"Mum."

_Desperate..._

"So you remember," Corisande said simply. She had a tablet in her hands and was scrolling through some list. Finally, she arrived at an option she was looking for. _This is already stage three, the second most crucial part, _she thought, _we can't afford to let things go wrong. _She hid her nervousness behind a mask of indifference and continued. "You wonder what the nanochip and the headgear is for?" When she didn't get a reply, she smiled. _Stages one and two worked perfectly then._

"You'll find out. Let's start small, shall we?" she finished. She tapped a button and Dynamis felt an old, very old memory at the back of his mind slowly pushing its way up. It was a simple memory, one of him and Astri playing at the temple. The memory was like an old movie, playing in black and white.

* * *

><p><em>"Dynamis! Come back here!" Astri chased after her laughing younger brother, who shook his head in response and ran off in the other direction. Giggling, Astri dashed after him. When she finally caught him, she tickled him, making him laugh uncontrollably.<em>

_The young boy tried to squirm out of his sister's grasp, but unfortunately, Astri was too strong._

_"So what do you wanna do?" Dynamis asked when he was finally released. Astri shrugged. "What do you want to do?" Dynamis thought for a while before stealing Astri's necklace and running off again._

_"Hey!" Astri got up to claim her belongings. "Gotcha!" She dragged her younger brother towards her, snatching the necklace from him._

_"I'm sleepy, Astri..." he mumbled as he half-closed his eyes. The girl gently smiled before carrying him to his room. It was big, but empty. Dynamis had hardly any belongings, just a few books about astronomy and a bed. She sighed. Her parents were so biased sometimes. She gave Dynamis a sisterly kiss. "Goodnight, Dynamis."_

_"G'night Astri." Then, when she heard soft breathing and no voice, she smiled, ruffled her brother's hair and exited the room._

* * *

><p>Dynamis unconsciously felt the corners of his mouth being tugged up. However, a portion of his mind didn't focus of the happiness that he felt from that one memory. This wasn't torture. Something bad was bound to follow. He didn't know what it was, and he didn't want to find out. His hands instantly clamped protectively around his ears and he closed his eyes, trying to shut out everything around him, so that everything was just black.<p>

_You're reachin' out,__  
><em>_And no one hears your cry.__  
><em>_You're freakin' out again__  
><em>_'Cause all your fears remind you.__  
><em>_Another dream has come undone.__  
><em>_You feel so small and lost__  
><em>_Like you're the only one.__  
><em>_You wanna scream,__  
><em>_'Cause you're desperate._

Black was good. Black held nothing. Black couldn't do anything more to him.

Just when he thought it would work, he felt white dots dancing around him. They grew in size and number, and joined together to make blurry images that flashed in front of him. Another memory... and this one wasn't good now.

Black...to white... black and white... it made up the confusing world of images around him.

_You want somebody, just anybody__  
><em>_To lay their hands on your soul tonight.__  
><em>_You want a reason to keep believin'__  
><em>_That some day you're gonna see the light..._

* * *

><p><em>He was running, running again, just like from his other memory. But this felt different. He felt a sheen of icy cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. His mind was blank, filled only wtith fear and urgency to get away, get away from the girl behind him. Faster, he thought, faster. The world seemed like a blur, because of the speed he was running at and the fact that he wasn't focusing. The girl behind him looked similar to him. The same lavender hair and sapphire eyes. But a look of dogged determination and hatred in her eyes separated her from him.<em>

_He could hardly move his aching limbs. He had lost track of time. Only one word was etched in his mind, the only fuel that propelled him to continually slip out of her grasp. The one word that kept him from getting hurt._

_The word was ESCAPE._

_Finally, he collapsed on the ground in exhaustion, feeling strong arms wrap around him. He tried not to focus on the pain as his arm was twisted hard. A look of accusation went through her eyes as she continued to twist, her grip getting stronger and tighter, until his hand was almost numb._

_He gasped at the rush of sensation as his arm was released. It was incredibly sore, and probably sprained. But she wasn't done. She clamped her hands around his neck, cutting off his oxygen supply, as he struggled to breathe. He felt his vision getting hazier and hazier. He felt screams, desperate cries for help rip through the air, begging for someone to help. But no one came. No one wanted him. No one needed him. He was just a mistake to everyone, a mistake that should be forgotten and erased._

_He barely noticed the pain stopping. He took a gasp for air. An icy feeling of being alone and unwanted washed over him. It was all that stupid curse's fault. Stupid curse... he felt his sister's harsh voice rain insults on him._

_"You worthless excuse for a human. Pathetic. You call yourself my brother? Forget it. Now I would like to see you die at the hands of the gods themselves. Honestly, I have no idea why Zeus and Hades saw you as special. If 'special', they mean completely idiotic and useless," she spat before walking off._

_Tears streamed down his cheeks as he closed his eyes, the aching preventing him from moving. He gave in to the darkness. The nightmares started again, and he felt the familiar dread and shadows that haunted him. He mentally cursed Hades for giving him this. He didn't want Zeus's power or whatever if it meant being treated like this. He wanted to be normal. He wanted to be loved by his family just like his sister. He barely noticed the screams as darkness enveloped him._

* * *

><p>Dynamis was unconsciously screaming. "Its not true! The memory is fake!" he whimpered. In response, he felt electricity running through his brain. The electricity hurt his brain, jumbling the black-and-white memories up, making the nightmare seem more real, deadly. He continued to protest. "STOP IT!"<p>

But no one acknowledged him. Only the electricity seemed to grow stronger, making his mind even more confused. The stench of fear seemed almost real, and he could almost feel the pain. Meanwhile, the warmth of the earlier memory began to fade to nothingness, seeming like a dream. Meanwhile, all Dynamis felt was the electricity trying to take over his mind.

"IT'S NOT REAL!"

He muttered something low and almost incomprehensible but luckily, Corisande was able to hear it.

"W-what's real..." he mumbled. His mind was in a messed up state from the electric shocks. He couldn't tell real from fake memories. A tiny part of him still fought desperately, trying to tell him that the exhaustion and pain wasn't real, but he wasn't listening. The horrible memory kept on playing in his mind, until he had lost all hopes of it being fake. "Real...this is real? No! Not real, it's fake, all fake... real...it feels real..." he began arguing with himself, almost delirious from all the pain. Corisande carefully increased the frequency and voltage of the shocks a little, ignoring the screams and pleads coming from the tube. _Very good. Its all working nicely, although the "key" is a fighter. It took this long just for this one memory._

_You're in the dark;__  
><em>_There's no one left to call.__  
><em>_And sleep's you're only friend,__  
><em>_But even sleep can't hide you__  
><em>_From all those tears and all the pain__  
><em>_And all the days you wasted pushin' them away.__  
><em>_It's your life; it's time you face it._

Finally, Dynamis's head dropped. "I-It's real..." Corisande smiled. _Now on to the next one._

Dynamis gasped as yet another memory rushed to the surface. It was a painful one, one that didn't need altering a lot. It was even older than the first one, so more electricity was needed. Corisande decided to just give him the part where she altered it. Dynamis hated that memory. He didn't want to recall it.

* * *

><p><em>Dynamis knew something was wrong. Something bad was going on behind those huge closed doors that seemed to forbid him from entering. It sent a message: Enter at your own risk, but you won't like what you see. The boy had a feeling whatever was going on had something to do with him. He would probably get lectured by his father after the doors opened. A lecture about how worthless he was and how his parents didn't deserve to have a mistake like him.<em>

_He knew he shouldn't have gone in. But it was so tempting, and he wanted to find out what exactly the problem was with him. His young mind was so simple and innocent. He thought that if he knew what was wrong, he could fix it and everything would be okay. Then they would be a happy family, and he would get the love he had been yearning for all his life. Fixing it would be simple. He would be good, listen to his parents... whatever he needed to do! He just wanted to feel loved._

_What he thought couldn't have been further from the truth._

_He silently pushed open the door, peeping inside. He saw his parents sitting on the bed, having on conversation with each other. His father's face was contorted with disgust as he spoke. Dynamis swore that he could hear "Dynamis" being mentioned. Tears flowed down his cheeks. Did his parents really hate him that much? He tried to get rid of that dark thought and focused again on trying to hear what his parents were saying._

_"That stupid Dynamis. I wish we never had him. Especially now, as the day's going to come in a few years, and it will claim him..." his father said, sighing and shaking his head. His mother nodded and started to speak. _

_"It's because Zeus's power was too strong, and the heavens said that Hades Curse was to balance it. That is the fate for temple guardians of every century." she replied, muttering something else under her breath. Dynamis decided that he would never want to find out what his mother thought. Then, his father looked troubled as he continued. "But then we-our reputation will be ruined! We have everything right now! You have a good job as a famous astronomer, and you work for me. How could we have cursed children?"_

_"I know, honey. I, too wish that a girl was born instead, so that she wouldn't need to inherit the curse. The good thing is, once he becomes old enough, we can leave the temple and be rid of him," Dynamis's mother said in a comforting tone. His father smiled slightly at the thought. Dynamis was shocked. He didn't know that the mistake was something he couldn't fix. He was cursed. No wonder his parents and sister hated him. More tears streamed from his eyes._

_Suddenly, his father's head snapped up and saw his son at the door. His blue orbs filled with fury, disgust and hatred. Dynamis froze in both shock and fear. He stared wide-eyed at his parents, hoping that he wouldn't be beaten or hurt._

_"Now you know why you're worthless?" his father snarled, hitting him with a belt. Dynamis didn't say anything, but instead curled up in the ball, accepting the rhythmic jolts of pain that repeatedly coursed its way through his small body._

* * *

><p>"NO! PLEASE, PLEASE STOP THIS!" Hysterical screams came from the tube, but Corisande simply smirked. Dynamis wanted to believe it was fake, desperately, but he couldn't. In his heart, he knew that this altered vision was actually quite close to the real one. Just the feelings of shock, depression, and pain were amplified, and it was like a force, dragging him down into an eternal abyss. "IT'S REAL! PLEASE! STOP IT!" he screamed, close to pulling out his hair. Corisande smirked.<p>

_OK... that went pretty fast...now for the next one!_

Dynamis winced. His vision went black again, but this wasn't the black that he used to escape from the horrors of reality. This black seemed more menacing...evil, even. Dynamis had no idea how a colour could seem evil, but it was that way.

He flinched as dots circled around and images filled up his vision once again. This was a recent one, one that he had been trying to forget.

_You want somebody, just anybody__  
><em>_To lay their hands on your soul tonight.__  
><em>_You want a reason to keep believin'__  
><em>_That some day you're gonna see the light...__  
><em>_'Cause you're desperate, desperate.__  
><em>_'Cause you're desperate now..._

* * *

><p><em>It was about 1 year ago, during the Nemesis crisis. Gingka and the others had managed to break into the pyramid-like building that held the bey. However, they faced some... interruptions. Namely, Beylin Fist bladers, Bao, Johannes, and Aguma. But that was all taken care of. Toby, Zeo and Benkei- non Legendary bladers- had stayed behind to fight Johannes, Bao and the Beylin Fist bladers. As for Aguma, Yuki was currently battling him with Anubis.<em>

_Dynamis- or rather, the evil version of himself, watched quietly from the shadows, waiting for his turn, when the gang noticed that there was still another opponent left to fight. Finally, when King noticed the other stadium, Dynamis stepped in. "When a dazzling glow lights up the earth from the heavens, a new star fragment will arrive and bring awaken a great power. However, that new light may become a new pit of darkness," he said quietly, but a sadistic tone had crept into his voice. His pupils were smaller than usual, and a murky blue substance hid the sapphire colour his eyes once used to be. Dynamis glared at the group as he started to walk quietly to the stadium._

_"D-Dynamis? What are you doing here exactly?" Gingka asked in utter surprise. His robe was black, signifying that he had crossed over to the other side. A fancy gold pendant with a large red jewel was hung around his neck. He narrowed his eyes and replied. "Gaia. The power of the four season's will is in disarray!" Ignoring Gingka's gasp, he continued. "If the heavens will such a fate, then Hades Spell is a fate that can never be escaped from. Understand? Indeed, power that is unable to fulfill its purpose is useless! In which case, you are also fuel for Nemesis's revival! It is your fate!"_

_He remembered stepping up to battle Gingka. The Legendary Blader of Autumn tried so hard to stop him, tell him that they were all on the same side, but it didn't work. The ancient curse would take more than a bunch of words to be broken. He launched Jupiter into the stadium, ignoring Gingka's attempts to bring the old him back. Meanwhile, he was trapped, trying to escape from his binds, to tell Gingka his message. Finally, Gingka did it. He managed to break the curse temporarily._

_Dynamis gasped out his message, electricity still making his body ache, before being trapped again. He didn't remember much after that, but he did remember breaking out again. Kyoya was there too, and he was the one battling now. He barely finished his message before darkness consumed him and everything went black. There was a long period before the darkness holding him back started to recede, and electricity flooded his system again. However, the pendant broke and the voices, the horrible voices receded at once. He was free. Or that was what he thought._

_After the crisis, the whispers came back again, haunting him. It was then that Dynamis realised that they would never stop, even without the pendant. He could never get rid of the darkness in his heart._

* * *

><p>Now, Corisande turned up the electricity and the altered vision resurfaced, pushing away all positive thoughts of the memory away. She hoped it would work. It had been OK for a while now. As long as his brain didn't get overcharged by all the electric shocks, he would be fine.<p>

_Hmm, that was pretty negative already... how do you make it even more negative?_

She found an answer and jammed a button on the tablet. Dynamis seemed to be lost in his own world, his eyes glazed over and a look of terror on his face. He had barely noticed what she had done. Grinning, she turned it up just a bit more.

_You know the things have gotta change.__  
><em>_You can't go back, you find a way.__  
><em>_And day by day, you start to come alive_

_Not again..._Dynamis thought, broken, as the altered memory appeared in front of him.

* * *

><p><em>This time, he said the same things, battled Gingka, and it was almost the same as his old memory. Almost. Gingka glared at him. The Pegasus blader seemed more foreboding than usual. "Dynamis, I always thought you were bad, but cursed? I can't believe I called you a 'friend' once." he said angrily.<em>

_Dynamis flinched. Was Gingka always like this?_

_Yuki was next. He was as bad as Gingka, if not worse. "Friend? Ha. You're a monster, Dynamis." he said so little, but that made Dynamis feel so small and helpless. He felt like he was alone in the dark, lost, scared, with no one to help him. And no one cared. It was possibly worse than death, the ever-lasting pain and agony that never seemed to fade._

_All his former "friends" or even allies began to turn on him, unlike his original memory. Their insults whirled around in Dynamis's head._

_"We hate you."_

_"Cursed one."_

_"You're not fit to be an ally."_

_"Who even chose you as a legendary blader?!"_

* * *

><p>Dynamis was arguing with himself again, all of his former calmness he had before he was captured was now gone, and even his retained sanity was starting to be questioned. "NO! ITS NOT REAL! THEY'RE MY FRIENDS, THEY WOULDN'T DO THAT!"<p>

After a while, "... But, it seems so real..." Corisande suddenly felt an urge. She cranked the electricity up to maximum. Dynamis could almost see the sparks. His body convulsed in pain as wave after wave of electricity racked his body. The real memories, the ones with less pain, were all pushed back so far that they disappeared, and memory after memory filled his brain. He felt the pent-up horror, fear, sadness and rage threaten to be let out.

_You want somebody, just anybody__  
><em>_To bring some peace to your soul tonight.__  
><em>_You want a reason to keep believin'__  
><em>_That some day you're gonna see the light..._

Suddenly, he mumbled something. It was a major breakthrough.

"F-friends? What are friends?" Dynamis questioned. No answer. Only the nasty voice in his head screaming, _Friends are nothing but jerks who hurt you when they get close!_

"Who needs friends..." Dynamis said to no-one in particular. Then, the electricity returned. More pain. More memories.

"STOP IT! YOU'RE-YOU'RE NOT MY FRIENDS! NO ONE! EVERYONE SHOULD DIE!" he yelled. His pupils were nothing but a rage-filled dull blue dot, devoid of all his sanity. Only one small part of his brain tried to stop it, desperate to escape. That part was soon to be gone, replaced by hatred and fury.

_You want somebody, just anybody__  
><em>_To lay their hands on your soul tonight.__  
><em>_You want a reason to keep believin'__  
><em>_That some day you're gonna see the light...__  
><em>_'Cause you're desperate, desperate.__  
><em>_'Cause you're desperate tonight.__  
><em>_Oh, desperate... So desperate tonight,__  
><em>_Tonight..._

Corisande turned to the brainwave monitor. _Oh no! A sensory overload is happening!_

_Desperate..._

Corisande smiled. Stage three complete. She shut of the electricity and pressed yet another button. Dynamis, exhausted by all the attempts he had made to keep his sanity, fell unconscious almost instantly. But not before he said something.

"Nothing... no one's...my friend..."

_Desperate..._

* * *

><p><strong>OK. That was a crazy long chapter by my standards. 3000+ words?!<strong>

**Dynamis: So...I'm an insane...freak now?**

**Me: For now, yes.**

**Dynamis: I'm sane, you know.**

**Me: You're not in the story. Anyway critiques welcome and please review! :) **


	20. Chapter 20

**This is even longer than the last chapter O.O I had an idea, sorry! Anyway this chapter focuses on Astri and her feelings of pretending to be fine. I like doing Astri chapters...mainly because she was the first OC I made for Beyblade.**

**Astri: Really?**

**Me: Yep. So please enjoy the new longest chapter in this fanfic.**

* * *

><p>The two beys circled around each other. Astri was distracted. The recent memory started playing, with Dynamis being imprisoned in the tube, her unable to do anything, the warning about staying away, the pain in his eyes, as if something inside him had shattered. And losing control of her power had been terrifying... she shuddered involuntarily.<p>

"Huh?" Her vision cleared as she saw Rhea glaring at her. She returned Equia to her palm. "What?" "You're not paying attention! It's no fun battling someone who's not into it. Let's battle after you clear your head, say, in 15 minutes?" Rhea was right. It was her fault.

Astri sighed. "It's late. How about tomorrow?" "It's only 8 at night!" "And we haven't eaten yet. Come on," Having lost this battle, Rhea pouted and sulked, following the older girl. They ended up in Blue Tulip as Fiona, well her parents owned her shop and they could eat anything for free. Astri didn't eat much, just a simple omelette with mushrooms, tomatoes and ham as well as a slice of fresh toast. Meanwhile, Rhea ate a hamburger that Gingka had bought from a nearby shop.

Astri felt a tap on her shoulder. It was Tsuki. While she didn't know the Nightingale blader very well, Tsuki seemed relatively nice and fun-loving... as well as violent. The girl looked at her in concern. "You OK? You're not eating that much."

"I'm fine," Astri lied, knowing that Tsuki would probably see through the statement and press her for a truth. After a while, she continued. "I guess I'm just too worried to do anything much right now," she admitted. Tsuki smiled slightly, as if trying to comfort her. Seeing Dynamis in pain... it was horrible. So horrible that it made Astri unable to concentrate on anything after seeing that scene. She felt so alone right now. Her little brother was captured by a dark organisation, her mother _ruled _that dark organisation, and for her father, he had left home a few weeks ago. She appreciated Tsuki showing concern, but it just wasn't going to help.

She stared at Starlight, resting in the palm of her hand. She walked outside, letting her bey gleam in the moonlight. No one had followed her, leaving her perfectly alone in the darkness, only illuminated by the crescent moon, the stars and the dim street lamps. Astri sat down against the first tree she saw, pulling her legs to her chin. "Starlight," Astri stated, although she felt silly talking to a bey. "You've changed, haven't you? Because of that...that-" her voice cracked. She couldn't go on.

Starlight had evolved and she had been recognized as an Ourano Blader due to the rage she felt against the world. About how cruel and unfair it was. About how people like Dynamis who were perfectly innocent were being treated. But... was she truly one of the bladers? When she saw Riley, Fiona, Tsuki, Seth, Yu, Kaiian and Rhea, she had known that they were Ourano Bladers. They had this sort of feeling about them. As for Nile, she hardly knew him. And Astri had been separated from Dynamis.

As for her... what was she? Mostly she was just a normal blader, albeit being pretty skilled and at least being able to beat Gingka. She had never thought of herself as special. Was she only truly one of them when she was rage-filled, full of fury and hatred against others? When she was on the verge of losing control of the overwhelming strength she grasped in that very moment of anger? Not only did it make her undependable, it also made it dangerous. She didn't want to hurt any of her friends.

"What should I do, Starlight? Will I be able to activate my power?" She asked. There was no reply, then again, she wasn't expecting one. She felt like the overwhelming pressure and sadness was almost crushing. Sadness because of her mother and Dynamis, pressure because everyone looked up to her almost as a leader and not a regular friend. She was the one expected to make plans, to find the Ourano Bladers (When did that happen anyway?) to save Dynamis. The last one she could handle as he was her little brother, and she would never let anything hurt him. Astri could just imagine him still trapped in that unnatural tube-like pod, floating in the black abyss between the sharp, cold features of reality or the blissful yet torturous mind of nightmares. She couldn't imagine what he was going through right now. All she knew was that he would be kept alive. Of course he would; he was the _key_. The question was, at what cost?

She felt it all the emotions coming to her in a rush, the tears welling up in her eyes. It was natural, and everyone wouldn't blame her, knowing what she was going through. She was about to let the tears fall when suddenly...

"Astri?"

"Hey, Astri?" A voice rang out into the silence, calling her name. Astri blinked the tears away and rubbed her eyes. She had to be strong, keep up her mask of enthusiasm and spunk, not letting it slip for even a moment. The lavender haired teen slowly got to her feet, returning Starlight to her belt. She walked towards the nearby cafe, seeing Fiona walking towards her. The orange haired girl looked worried. "Where did you go?! I came down to get a hot chocolate and Tsuki tells me you walked out. Where did you go?" Astri had time to think up an excuse in a split-second before answering.

"I went for a walk," she stated, blurting out the first thing that came to mind. She did _not _want her friends, especially Fiona, to think that she had _serious _issues. Luckily, Fiona didn't pursue the matter, although she did raise an eyebrow at the grass stains on Astri's jeans. "The others are waiting," she said before heading back to the cafe. The group, once finishing up, proceeded back to the hotel that they were staying at. They probably couldn't afford it, if not for the fact that Chris actually had a job and paid for it, though he was pretty reluctant. The others couldn't believe the amount of money he had saved up. Did he literally spend his money on just food, water, clothing and shelter? Riley thought that was boring.

Astri sat quietly the bed. She could Chris's snoring on the other bed, but she didn't really mind. She had reluctantly agreed to share with a boy (it was really the only possible way) after many hours of pleading, reasoning and bribing. She decided on Chris because he didn't talk a lot and was sane. Even when traveling with the group, Chris had still taken on jobs to pay for his expenses. He had even gone without sleep some nights, which Astri found impossible, as she always, _always _had no less than eleven hours of sleep a day. The blond had stayed up for two nights in a row and as soon as they had reached the hotel, he was out. _Let the poor guy sleep, _she figured.

When she was brushing her teeth, she realized that she had left her phone charger in the kids' room. She quickly finished and knocked on the other door. Rhea and Adira had their own families to go back to, so Yu, Tithi and Riley were rooming together. When she entered, Riley was brushing her teeth and Tithi was on the other side of the room applying face paint. Yu was just sitting cross-legged on the bed, a faraway expression on his face. "Yu," she said softly, making the boy startle. "H-how can you take it?" he asked. Astri knew exactly what he was talking about. Just as she was concerned for Dynamis, Yu was concerned for Nile. Except that Nile was actually safe now...

"I don't. It hurts too, you know," she replied. Yu was confused. "But you seem just fine!" Astri had a bittersweet smile on her face. "I'm not. Don't tell anyone, but I'm just pretending." She paused to grab her phone charger and walk to the door. "Though if you want advice, I would recommend keeping yourself busy. Having no time to think about it helps a little. And you might want to spend more time to him. You're probably the only one he could tolerate without having a full-blown panic attack. You could always cajole Chris into bringing you there. If you can wake him up, that is." With that, she smiled and walked back to her room.

As she left, she heard Yu calling after her. "Thanks, Astri! You helped a lot," he said, smiling broadly. Astri only waved and left. Tired, she fell asleep almost instantly,. Sleep seemed almost like her only escape now. Unlike the beckoning, haunting voices of her brother's surreal nightmares, her nights were often dreamless. She didn't think of anything, and for that moment, she felt freer, lighter, without the burden of worries and responsibility weighing her down.

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><p>-The next morning-<p>

Astri blinked her eyes sleepily. It was bright outside. Too bright. She had forgotten to draw the curtains and now light flooded the room. What time was it already? She switched her phone on. 11.00. Chuckling to herself, she went to shower and change. She would soon be dealing with a very angry Rhea at the bey stadium where they had agreed to meet. She could see Chris still asleep in the bed, face planted in his pillow.

When she finished, she went to wake her roommate up. "Wake up, Chris," There was no reply. "Wake up!" She said, a little louder and firmer. The teen muttered something incomprehensible before turning. Astri was getting impatient. Chris could be extremely hard to wake up sometimes, especially when he was tired. She had one option left, and she just hoped that it wouldn't involve waking up the entire hotel and being sued by angry patrons. She took a deep breath, kicked the bed as hard as she could, ripped the blanket off and yelled, "WAKE UP!" That did the trick. The blond's eyes flew open and he sat up, greeted with a blast of freezing air in the face. With the flustered and shocked look on his face, he looked almost comical. Astri took one look and burst out laughing.

The atmosphere changed when Chris casually hopped off his bed, forgetting his broken ankle. So...

"OWWWWWWWWWWW!" Astri winced, covering her ears. The kids all walked in at that time. "What just happened? You woke us up," Tithi said. Riley took one look at her brother and figured out what had happened-roughly. She helped him up with a concerned expression on her face. Chris loaded himself onto his crutches and hobbled a few steps. He still wasn't used to them, and he practiced by going up and down the hotel room. That was all fine and dandy- except for a few moments where he lost his balance and almost fell. Along with huge bags under his eyes and messed-up hair, the giant cast around his foot probably helping him right now. Yu took that exact moment to ask his question.

"Chris, can you bring me to the hospital today?" "No!" Chris was in a bad mood because of his ankle. "Awww, pwease?" Yu asked, using his famous puppy dog eyes. No-one, not even Chris could resist them as they were so utterly, undeniably cute. "Fine," Chris relented. "Wait, what?" Yu happily hummed to himself. "A promise is a promise Chris!" he chirped, smirking slightly. Chris tried frantically to argue back. He kind of hated the hospital after that unpleasant experience with the doctor not allowing him to battle.

"But I didn't prom-"

"It's a deal," Astri interjected. "Now, I believe we haven't had breakfast and we have an appointment in exactly one hour."

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><p>-At the bey park-<p>

Rhea glared at the group. Adira just smiled apologetically and said nothing. The girl was angry. She tapped her watch. "You," she declared, "Are fifteen minutes late. I told you to arrive at 11.50."

"It was 12."

"Whatever. It's 12.05 now."

"Your watch is fast," Astri said in an amused tone, smiling when Rhea glared at her again. "So are we going to start the battle?" She attached Comet Starlight to her launcher and walked to the stadium. Excitedly, Rhea bounced to the other side, pulling out her emerald-coloured launcher.

"3-WaitWaitWait!" Rhea started. She quickly fiddled with her bey's fusion wheel before reattaching it. "Done! 3!" Astri wasn't very sure about Rhea's sudden mode change, but she decided to go along. This was her and Comet Starlight's very first battle and she couldn't wait. She knew she just sounded like a little kid with a new toy, but she couldn't help it. She raised her launcher and aimed it carefully at the stadium. She couldn't screw up, not on her bey's debut. "2!"

"1!" They said together.

"Let it rip!" The beys flew into the stadium, with Starlight rushing in to get the first attack. Equia got away, but barely. Equia's fusion wheel had changed. A piece of ruby metal on the top had slid around about 45 degrees, and a piece of iron n the bottom did the same, revealing a strange array of glass-like pieces that resembled panels. Ignoring it, Astri decided to attack again. Starlight closed in a second time, this time landing a successful attack. Equia was knocked to the side of the stadium, and immediately, it was hit again. It flew into the air and landed in the stadium, but it was still spinning pretty steadily. "Equia!" Rhea shouted.

Rhea's bey tried to attack but the powerful Attack type Starlight won in terms of strength. Rhea growled. "Time to get serious. Equia!" Starlight closed in for another hit, but it was blasted away with a burst of ruby light. Astri was dumbfounded. "What...how?" Rhea smirked proudly as Equia blasted another concentrated wave of energy at her bey. "The panels on Equia's fusion wheel are made out of chemically altered glass, having the ability to bend and warp light and air!"

Now, a stream of seemingly endless blasts of strong wind crashed into Starlight, with each hit weakening it a little. Astri felt the panic rise up inside her. She knew that this wasn't her full strength. Starlight wasn't done yet. She could feel the power that she had gained as an Ourano blader inside her. It was great, and she could definitely use that strength, but unfortunately she wasn't super-mad now. And she was afraid to find out what could happen if she lost control of herself if she _was _angry and considerably demented.

"S-Starlight! Blinding Star!" She reverted back to her old special move. She was too scared too try Diving Starburst again. She smiled at the warmth of using old style again. It reminded her of the time when she was still traveling (well technically she was traveling now), when she didn't have to worry or go crazy over stuff. It felt nice. It reminded her of the hope she felt. The last time she used this move against Fiona, she had no idea about Dynamis's condition. She could still picture him OK. Now, she couldn't hope for or picture the happy ending she once imagined. The image had permanently been burned from her mind. Shaking her head clear of the thoughts, she focused back on the battle.

She had used this move so many times; during practice with Dynamis, her friends, Gingka, and a lot of others when she competed in tournaments. She could memorize the scene. The arena lighting up in gold, searing hot, the star-shaped energy that cloaked Starlight, the sweeping powerful ray of pulsing gold clearing everything in its path. Even the blast of light that Equia released in counter-defense failed and was bounced back. Now the bey was wobbling.

"Come on! Special move then! Sapphire Storm!" The blue unicorn spirit appeared, and its horn glowed, summoning the raging storm. Astri could almost feel the gale seeping through her skin and flesh and muscle to reach her bone, flinching as the lightning crashed down onto Starlight, with a deafening clap. The storm clouds then faded and was replaced by the light, revealing a wobbling Starlight. "Mode change! Pegasus!" Rhea yelled.

The panels were concealed and replaced by the usual warped fusion wheel. Now, despite not being able to fire blasts of light, "magic", the unicorn's specialty, Astri could see the slight graceful arcs at the sides, the sketchy bumps like delicate feathers, combined with the arcs that joined them, resembled a Pegasus's wings, boosting the bey's attack.

Astri was not expecting yet another special move. "Equia! Ruby Warrior!" Her bey glowed bright ruby and the bey spirit. the ruby-coloured Pegasus emerged. It was glowing the same shade of jewel-bright red, with a tinge of gold. Starlight met its attack, but Equia somehow manage to overpower it. Tithi looked at it in interest, trying to make the most of his lessons with Yu about analyzing beys. If Yu was here, he would know. He could probably take the bey apart and find out the cause faster than Madoka's laptop.

He then noticed the problem and decided to tell Astri. "The performance tip is spinning much faster than usual, giving it extra central-fugal force to be supplied to the rest of the bey!" Astri nodded her thanks. _What do I do?! _she thought frantically. She could feel that power surging up, and it was really uncomfortable.

_You don't give up. _A voice said. It was soothing and feminine, familiar. However much she felt like she knew this voice, she couldn't figure out who was speaking. Astri looked around but there was no one. Was she going crazy?

_You shouldn't be so cautious, _it said again, encouraging her. Astri almost had a massive anxiety attack. Yep, she thought, definitely going crazy. She was just too stressed, like a taut string stretched too far beyond its limits. No matter how hard you try, eventually you'll snap, just like that string. Your mask will crack, you'll let the real you slip through. The lost, scared, pressured girl. Right now, she was that taut string, the tension increasing, feeling herself handle way too much for an average teenage girl.

_But how about Dynamis? Nile? _The voice told her bitterly, but in a gentle tone. Astri sighed. Whoever the voice was... it was right. The two had been through so much more than her, and she couldn't complain. She had no right to. What she was handling was probably a small fraction of the amount of pain the both of them suffered. They weren't behaving like Astri. She had to stay strong just like them. Or... maybe they coped by not handling it at all. She was sure they fought. But she had seen the broken, mournful look in her brother's eyes, and they had all seen Nile having a panic attack in his ward.

_Who are you? _she asked in her mind. She didn't expect the reply that floated back into your head.

_When you get through, you'll know for sure, _the voice assured her. _But you need to use your power. It's not just when you're a power-hungry monster looking for revenge._

_It...it isn't? But I'm scared. I don't want to hurt my friends... _Astri watched helplessly as her bey got ruthlessly beaten up by Equia, who had converted back to Unicorn mode and sent out another barrage of moves. Starlight fought back, as if not wanting to disappoint for its master.

_The more you fear your power, the more it will take over you, and that could be even more disastrous. You need to stop being scared._

_How do you do that?_

_I know that it feels strange suddenly having new strength, and you're being careful with it. I understand how you feel. _"I understand how you feel". That was a common phrase that friends used to comfort others. But coming from this unknown woman who was no more than a black silhouette in her mind, it felt real, like she genuinely knew how she feel. Like she had gone through the ordeal of keeping your growing feelings of fear behind. Almost like...

_You're- you're..._

_That's right, I am._

_But how?!_

_Never mind about that. Try to harness your new power and give Diving Starburst another shot. I know you-we-can do it. Let it go. Your feelings, everything._

_I-I... _Astri took a deep breath. She thought about all her emotions of fear, longing, stress, and Starlight. She thought about their bond, and her power as an Ourano blader. Positive, she told herself, only allow positive thoughts. Fear kept trying to override her brain, but she pushed it back with some difficulty.

_No Astri! If you push it away, it'll grow stronger._

She closed her eyes and imagined all those negative emotions and fuel, fuel to save her brother. It was like the air she breathed, the food she needed, the water she drank. It was the fuel for her to continue on despite everything. It was what would spur her on to overcome everything.

Rhea frowned. "What are you doing? Meditating? Equia, Alicorn mode. Galaxy Heart!" The emerald alicorn fired the beam of swirling black energy towards Starlight. Just then, Astri finally opened her eyes. Starlight started glowing and it broke free of the black cloak surrounding it. Breaking free signified a new burst of fresh air, the energy filling her, the secure thought that everything was in control, that they would fix everything.

"Special move, Diving Starburst!"

Comet Starlight skidded up the side of the stadium and climbed higher, higher, higher, losing itself in the clouds. Astri's mind was like that, reaching out, higher, until she could touch the stars. She could visualize it soaking in the power of the stars, the chilling melodic harp sound, the energy building up that was about to explode-

_No. _Astri maintained the energy, breathing deeply, trying to be calm. She _would _break free. She smiled as the blazing stars, closely resembling comets, rushed towards the ground, the bey following soon after. Equia had nowhere to go as it was hit by Astri and Starlight's true power as an Ourano blader. Instantly, it was knocked out of the arena.

As Starlight flew back to her hand, she felt the pulsing warmth radiating from it, as if it was alive. Astri smiled, no longer having to hide herself under a mask.

_Thank you. But... how am I able to communicate with you? _she felt her hand automatically touching the shimmering gold star-shaped charm on the necklace Dynamis had given her alongside the twinkling fragile glass heart.

_You're welcome. As to that question... I think you would know the answer._

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><p><strong>This took almost 3 hours to right. So hope you enjoyed it. Can you guess the voice in Astri's head? If you can, virtual cookies to you! *pulls out giant box of virtual cookies*<strong>

**Gingka: Wait...you had them all along and you didn't give me one?**

**Me: *nomming on cookie* Didn't you read? VIRTUAL cookies.**

**Gingka: I'm a virtual character.**

**Me: Oh yeah. Never mind. *finishes up cookie* Critiques welcome and please review!**


	21. Chapter 21

**I'm finally back! Sorry for the long wait. I was busy, preparing for a school bazaar, going on a school trip, and I can't see why WE HAVE TO GO TO SCHOOL EVEN THOUGH EXAMS ARE OVER AND WE LITERALLY DO NOTHING! *rants* Anyway, school just ended, so...YAY!**

**Dynamis: Are you done?**

**Me: *Deep breath* Yes.**

**Dynamis: Yaaaaaaaaaaay. *Starts clapping really slowly***

**Me: Oh whatever. You're not even mentioned in this chapter. Anyway enjoy! **

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><p>Rhea was running all around the garden of her house. It was situated near the bey park which she and Astri had been battling at. Humming to herself, she picked...strange plants that the bladers couldn't even recognize. There were not many flowers, and even the plants that were flowering bore plain, pale and small flowers that drooped downwards. Not a very bright and pretty sight for a garden. The redhead had dragged them here to have tea and now they were stuck here.<p>

Finally, Rhea stood up with a bundle of plants in her hands. "Let's go back in, guys!" she chirped. When everyone was back inside, she laid the plants on the table, getting some equipment. She then handled the machines with expert speed, her fingers moving rapidly as they shoved plants in, stirred pastes together, compressing globs of goop, heating and cooling. Finally she added some blueberries, stirring the juice into the mixture. She diluted the thick, dark green liquid with some water before tipping it into a bottle. Gingka tipped his head to the side. "What are you doing, Rhea?" he asked. The girl handed the bottle to Riley. "You really don't know what this herbal medicine does?"

Gingka blinked. "Wait...it's medicine?" Everyone facepalmed mentally. "What would it be if it wasn't medicine?" Astri snapped.

"I don't know, poison maybe?" Gingka countered.

"And why would Rhea, a perfectly innocent ten-year-old make poison?"

"No idea! You never know!"

"IT'S NOT EVEN LEGAL TO OWN POISON!"

"SHUT UP!" Riley shouted. "Can't we just let Rhea to FREAKING EXPLAIN what this does?!" Everyone quietened down at her sudden outburst. Rhea smiled gratefully at her friend before continuing with her explanation. "This medicine is made out of several herbs for Nile. It's used to help his eyes heal faster."

"But how are you able to do that? It seems pretty complicated," Tithi asked. "Why do you think the hospital accepted an under-aged runt as a volunteer? I've been training to be a doctor since I was what, six? I've studied book after book about herbs and techniques and medicine."

Everyone seemed pretty impressed. Rhea labeled the bottle "C24" and stuck it in a fridge filled with similar bottles. "Now I just have to wait for it to cool. You can bring it to Nile later."

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><p>"Wait up, Yu!" Chris called as he struggled to keep up. His crutches were not very efficient in moving fast, and Yu wanted to see Nile. Yu scowled as he ran back to the older boy. "Can't these go any faster?" He asked, tapping a crutch. Chris shook his head. "I didn't want to come here in the first place!" He grumbled. Yu just grabbed him and started running again, causing Chris to almost lose his balance and fall. Now he was in an even worse mood than before.<p>

"OK, we're here!" An _extremely_ annoyed Chris stated. Yu ignored him. He just pushed open the door and ran in. "Nile!" The Egyptian teen was seated on the bed, his eyes still covered with gauze. He seemed surprisingly calm compared to yesterday. He wasn't struggling, panicking or screaming, he was just sitting there. A drip was connected to his arm, although he barely seemed to notice it. A friendly-looking nurse looked up and saw him. "Oh, hi! You're the kid from yesterday, _non?_" Yu nodded. "Nile looks calmer," he commented, hoping that the boy was able to recover somewhat from that incident. However, that hope was crushed when the nurse responded. "_Oui._ We just sedated him, he was being very resistant to the hospital staff."

The nurse walked out of the room to get her lunch while Chris tapped Yu on the shoulder. "It's a little awkward...mind if I go out for a little? Can you take care of yourself?" Yu nodded. Smiling, Chris limped out slowly. Yu touched Nile cautiously on the arm but got no response. He then remembered that Nile's nerves were badly damaged, causing him to hardly feel anything. Yu couldn't imagine what it was like, not being able to see and feel anything. Living in a world of perpetual darkness, with nothing beneath his feet to support him. Yu tried calling his name.

"Nile?" He turned around slowly, looking for the source of the voice. He eventually faced Yu's general direction. "Yu?" His voice sounded tired and drunk from the sedative. The gold-haired boy smiled. He wanted to hug Nile, but he couldn't for two reasons. One, Nile probably couldn't feel it. Two, even if he felt it, it would probably trigger a mental relapse which could be dangerous. For now, as curious as he was to know the truth, he had to tread on eggshells. His mind searched for a topic that was safe enough. He said the first thing that came to his mind; unfortunately, it was a very bad topic indeed. "Um...how's...life?" Yu regretted the words as soon as he had blurted them out. "Wha-What...?" Nile's voice was distorted, and had a guarded tone to it. His slender fingers clenched around the gauze, as if he was going to tear it off again. The small boy frowned. He had messed up big time. And it seemed like the sedative was no match for the memories at _that place. That place_ was something that he refused to talk about.

"N-Nothing! Never mind!" But the damage had already been done. Nile was tense, instinctively curling up in a protective ball, pulling the bandage away from his eyes. Yu saw the infected, red areas around his clouded green eyes. Despite the medicine he had been taking, the infection was healing slowly. Yu was desperate to get Nile calmed down. _If only I hadn't said that. You brought up the worst possible topic that ever existed in history!_

"I brought you something," Yu said, placing a bey in his hand. Nile pressed his fingers down firmly in an attempt to feel the cold object in his hand, running them down the grooves and lines. "Is it...is it Horuseus?" Nile asked shakily, his voice wobbling. Yu nodded. He could see a tremor of fear run through Nile's eyes. _Did I mess up again? What did Horuseus have to do with this?_ Yu just had to find out what had happened to him. It was the only way he could ever manage to comfort the Egyptian boy.

"Nile, tell me what happened." There was no response. Yu only saw Nile's eyes widen. He shook his head firmly before disappearing under the thin hospital blanket. Yu pulled the blanket away gently. That was far too harsh, demanding that the boy open up to him just two days after he was found and rescued. "Well, why did you turn evil?" Yu asked, trying a gentler approach.

Still no answer. Nile was in pure defensive mode, his legs tucked firmly under his chin, his arms tightly wrapped around himself, eyes shut. What could possibly have happened to make him this way? Besides, Yu couldn't figure out why Evil Nile seemed perfectly fine and normal while Regular Nile was like...this. Almost his entire body was wrapped with bandages, the majority of it being covered by his long, baggy hospital uniform.

Yu almost couldn't recognize the shaking form in front of him. Was this really the Nile that participated in the Beyblade World Championships? The Nile that had led the group to Mist Mountain? Even the Nile that had partially recovered from the incident with his father? No. Not at all. Yu believed that he was down there somewhere buried under layers of sadness and pain and fear. But now, to look at the broken Egyptian with tear tracks on his cheeks was heart-wrenching.

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><p>Nile's POV:<p>

I am still surrounded by darkness. It is scary. Really scary. I hardly know what's happening to me. All I can do hear the voices. The voices telling me to calm down, that everything would be OK. I can feel a foreign liquid coursing through my veins. I think it was the sedative. The one thing that kept me from lunging at whoever tries to speak to me in a rabid manner and run away. They probably think I'm mentally unstable. I probably am. I heard something along the lines of "post-traumatic stress disorder". Whatever. I just hope they don't put me in a straitjacket. Those things are _horrible. _I didn't like them at first, but now, having been cooped up for so long, I hate them even more.

Anyway, I feel like I have zero control over my body. It's probably the work of the sedative, but its scary, disconcerting...

"How's life?" I feel the sudden jolt as I feel like I'm sucked back into my body. I have control over it again. "How's life?" That sedative had no chance of stopping my reaction, changing the words somehow. Yu, please don't talk to me. I can't handle it. I don't want anyone to talk to me. Anyway, to answer your question, Yu, life has been nothing but a cruel joke. Not that I'm going to tell you, someone, a human. A _human, _probably an enemy now. May not have been before, but he was now. Everyone's an enemy.

Something is pressed into my hand and I try to feel it. I have to work extra hard just to feel a simple object now...it's so frustrating. Horuseus? Of all things, my bey? Something that was used as a ruthless torture device? The memories keep on coming back, invading the wall I built around myself. One single, powerful rush of traumatic memories, and I can't push it away. I try to, but I can't. Image after image after image, the fear and desperation and pain feeling more real than ever, the stench of blood strong and dizzying.

The tears come again, like they have frequently in the past few weeks, and I don't try to stop them like I try to every single time.

Not like I'll ever be normal again, not after that. Why stop them? Why try anyway?"

I can hear Yu faraway, calling to me, asking me about what happened._ "Nile, tell me what happened." "Well, why did you turn evil?" _The memories grow more surreal and vivid, and I can almost see the cruel smirks of two, no, three- Seth included- people. I can feel the crimson liquid on my arms, my legs, my entire body. I can hear the slash of the knife into my skin, the bandages breaking open.

I am in that world again, that world which I try to forget, to escape from all the time, but I can't return.

How did I turn evil? Yu, I don't want people talking to me. I didn't want to be evil. I thought I was the evil one, but I was wrong. Everyone's evil. I saw it. I saw reality, the _truth, _when I went through everything. Humans-me included-are pure evil. Darkness. The world is a black hole, destined to fall, destroyed by the very people who crafted it with their own hands, crafted it into the so-called beautiful world. Everything "beautiful" is deadly, cold, poisonous. Those people, with their ideas for a better world turned into power-hungry freaks.

In the end, nothing works out. No-one's good.

Please, Yu! Please stay silent! When people talk, it's too loud...it hurts a lot. When someone talks, all I can hear is _loud. _When too many people talk at the same time, it seems to fill up everything, and its almost deafening.

You'd try to do the heroic thing. To not give up on me. To try to bring me back. Everyone likes the hero. They're so blindsided by how _pure-hearted _the hero is, they fail to notice that their actions are foolish. The old me, one who believed in trust and friendship is gone.

Try, if you can. Keep on trying to win me over with your poison-coated lies. I believe nothing, not even myself. This is what happens when you know about humanity's true colours.

This is what happens when you see the world, the real world, not in the pretty packaging that people try to wrap it up in, to cover all the evil and lies up.

* * *

><p>Yu's POV:<p>

Nile's not paying attention. His eyes can't see, but they wander aimlessly, finally coming to rest on a plain white wall. The older members of the group had tried to keep the truth about Nile's condition from me, but no one could keep anything from me. With my sharp hearing, I knew everything. Nile had a broken arm and leg to add on to his countless injuries. His leg was in a cast, and his arm was _supposed _to be in a sling. It had obviously been ripped off the moment he had it on. A broken collarbone didn't require a cast, but it would take around three months to heal.

I'm worried. The doctor has suggested an operation for Nile to repair his nerves, but he would surely resist. It would take a lot of effort to convince him. That look in his eyes when he helped me...it was totally defeated, like he had already given up. Nile, weren't you my friend? Wasn't that why you helped me? I decide to voice my question.

"Am I your friend?" I don't expect a response, since he's trying to ignore me, but I get one. I almost wish he'd stay silent.

"No." Tears well up in my eyes.

"Why? I thought we were friends!"

"The humans in this world have too much evil in them to be considered 'friends' to anyone." His voice is detached, with no emotion in it. It's slow, deliberate, robotic.

"Then why did you help me?" I press on. I have to find the truth. I just have to! Nile falls silent, not answering once again. I repeat my question, and finally, he answers.

"I can't tell you that." His tone becomes guarded once more.

* * *

><p>Nile's POV:<p>

He's talking again. Yu. I just try to block everything out, so that it doesn't hurt as much. Another wall goes up around me, and I just leave my mind as a blank, so that no thoughts can affect me. It seems like that wasn't a very bright idea. With my mind emptied, there's more space for the memories, fresh scars in my mind to enter and taunt me. It's as if I can feel everything despite the fact that I can't feel properly anymore. All over again. I can feel the suffocation from the water, the lack of fresh oxygen. I can feel the searing white-hot sensation rushing through my body from the blazing, dancing flames that lick at my skin. I can feel the electric current overloading my senses.

_"Am I your friend?" _I thought Yu would have enough sense to know. I don't need any friends. I don't _want _any. Can they be trusted? Definitely not. Once they get close to you...it's all over. They're close, but that just makes the pain even more stabbing.

_"Why? I thought we were friends!" _We _were, _Yu. Not _are. _You thought so...but you're wrong.

_"Then why did you help me?" _Because those memories, the good ones, they became to much for me to handle. It filled me up with happiness, something that I haven't felt in a long time. It reminded me of everything you did. But after that, those memories were quickly forgotten. That small number was no match for the weeks of suffering. So technically, at that time I was still your friend, but Yu...not anymore. Not for a long time. Probably never.

* * *

><p>Yu's POV:<p>

I was shocked. Nile didn't see me as a friend! I stared at him, not caring that he couldn't see. _Something _must have happened to him in _that place. _I just know it. It's why he's like that now. He's hiding secrets, and I plan to get him to reveal them. After all, no one keeps anything from me...right? _At least, even though the sedative seemed to wear off, he's calmer now...that's got to be better._

_Or maybe he just doesn't care anymore._

* * *

><p><strong><em>*<em>Sighs* Whew, that was a lot of POV changes! I had a lot of trouble writing this chapter and I did most of it late at night so apologies if it isn't up to my usual standard. Not that my usual standard is much better.  
><strong>

**Astri: So what's going to happen next?**

**Dynamis: I don't care, as long as its not about me.**

**Astri: *Rolls eyes* You can be so dense sometimes.**

**Me: I agree.**

**Dynamis: You're going to regret that. *charges at us***

**Tsuki: Looking for this? *Holds up bazooka***

**Me and Astri: Yes! **

**Dynamis: I'm out of here! *runs***

**Me: *Waves* I don't own MFB! And as always, critiques welcome and please review!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Sorry if this chapter is shorter than usual-**

**Gingka: I bet fifty dollars it's because she was lazy.**

**Yu: I bet you're wrong.**

**Me: -There is less content for this chapter.**

**Gingka: DARN IT! *Reluctantly hands over money*  
><strong>

**Yu: YAY! ICE CREAM MONEY! *Runs off***

**Me: Anyway, please enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Gingka and Astri walked towards the hospital ward with the bottle. Gingka then realized that he had never remembered to ask Astri a very, <em>very<em> important question."So, Astri, how many Ourano Bladers are there?" The lavender haired girl thought for a while before answering. "From what I can remember, there are fifteen bladers. Why?"

"I was thinking... if we could find all of them, we would have a better chance of defeating the-" He was interrupted by Astri, who glared at him with an annoyed expression.

"Isn't time more important?!" She exclaimed.

"What use is time if we can't defeat them to start with? That's just wasting time and effort." That made Astri pause to think. Honestly, she would love to argue with Gingka. It seemed like she argued with him a lot. But she had to admit, as dense as he was, Gingka had a point. She sighed in defeat. "Fine, we'll find them. There are four bladers left." She bumped into a nurse headed into Nile's room. Sheepishly, Astri apologized, handing her the bottle. "Rhea told us to give it to the nurse in charge."

The nurse nodded. "The child prodigy? _Oui." _

The duo saw Yu trying to talk to Nile. As soon as the Horuseus blader heard the footsteps clattering as they entered the room, he sat bolt upright, hissing. His eyes narrowed towards them-how he knew they were at the door was a complete mystery. "Get lost."

"It's OK Nile, they're friends," Yu soothed. Nile angrily brushed the kid's hand away. "Who said I welcomed you?" Yu looked downcast and tired, like he'd been trying non-stop for a long time.

"Get lost NOW! ALL OF YOU!" Nile's voice bordered on hysteria. His fists were clenched so tightly his knuckles had turned white, and he was trembling uncontrollably with fear and hatred. Yu tried to calm his companion down. "Please, Nile, they won't hurt you!"

"Lies," Came the cold reply. The one word was enough to send wave after wave of pain and fear and anger washing up on everyone. It was as if the force was real, making Yu, Gingka and Astri flinch. The group realized that they were missing someone. "Where did Chris go?"

"Somewhere. I don't know." Gingka dialed Chris's number and called him. _Beep...beep...beep...The M1 customer you are calling is currently available. Please try again later._ The Pegasus blader tried again.

_Beep...beep...beep..._ This time, instead of the annoying automated reply, they could hear the faint sound of beys clashing, followed by a muffled explosion. "Go, Orion!" A voice called in the distance. Astri growled. Chris wasn't supposed to battle. He was so going to get it when she found him. "To the bey park, everyone!" Gingka dragged a protesting Yu out of the ward as Astri raced outside to call for a taxi. She spoke a few impatient French words before the taxi sped off towards the bey park.

* * *

><p>Astri scanned the park for Chris, but all she could see was a sea of people crowding around the lone bey stadium. She pushed her way through, muttering half-hearted apologies, alternating between both French and English. Yu simply launched Libra to clear a path for them, ignoring the adults hurling insults about "uncouth tourists" and how it was a "disgrace to Japan". Astri felt her heart sink as she watched the battle unfurl in front of her. Chris's crutches had been discarded, leaning against a nearby bench.<p>

The blond stood at one end of the stadium, his balance shifted to his right side since his left ankle was broken. He was breathing heavily, and Orion seemed to be losing the battle. Another boy was standing at the other side. Astri groaned as she recognized the figure. Indigo hair, brown eyes, trademark black jacket-yup, that was Seth, a Skia blader. Sanguis Coyote attacked without mercy, battering the other magenta bey.

"Orion, Special move-" He was cut off. "Not a chance! Special move, Copycat!" A crimson hue surrounded the two beys and a blast of violent wind struck Orion and erupted into a massive whirlwind that contained entire stadium. Chris used his hand to shield himself from the strong gust. His feet dug into the soil as he was pushed back. Jolts of pain ran up his foot as he tried to ignore them. The wind was _that _strong. Orion, despite having ball bearings, was wobbling now.

"But that's Whirlwind Savage! A move only Kaiian's Destruction Chimera can use!" Chris exclaimed in shock. Seth only smirked at the comment.

"Allow me to explain. Copycat is a move that copies the special move of one of the beys-Orion included-that you have battled against. In this case its Whirlwind Savage. You really are an incompetent fool," Seth stated calmly. Chris gritted his teeth. "Orion, stay strong! Brilliant Flash Blast!" A blast of blinding red energy, almost tipped with white, crashed into Coyote. The sheer force of the impact sent a red wave of sound crashing down onto the crowd.

"Chris! Stop!" Astri called, waving her hands in the air, trying to get the blader's attention. However, her voice was drowned out by the high-pitched ringing sound caused by Chris's special move. She covered her ears. That noise was giving her a massive headache.

Gingka and Yu clutched their heads as well. "How many decibels was that?" Yu groaned.

Coyote had been slammed into the wall, but it somehow managed to drop back onto the stadium floor, wobbling. There was a large crack where Coyote had previously been. "Not bad," Seth commented. "Maybe I underestimated you. Anyway..." Coyote sped towards the magenta bey, attacking it again.

Chris observed the bey. "Sanguis Coyote's performance tip is half rubber and half strengthened glass, enabling it to both generate friction for its special move Molten Chamber and move smoothly for..." he trailed off. "Orion, get out of there!" It was all too late. He had fallen right into Seth's trap.

"Special move, Winter Nightmare," Seth shouted. A volley of razor-sharp icicles appeared in the sky, glittering. They were stained a jet black and formed a ring, rotating quickly as they hit Orion. The bey was now barely spinning, and Chris was thrown onto the floor groaning in pain. He climbed up slowly, his whole body aching, feeling as if his left foot was on fire. He had one-technically two- move left and he had to use it. Right now. "Orion!" He called.

"Special move Combo, use Fusion Assault combined with Cyclotron Amplifier!" _This is my first time using these moves. It better work, or else I'm dead. _A few energy spheres emerged from Orion, combining together and becoming one massive ball about half as big as the stadium. Orion then launched the energy towards a translucent magenta platform in the air. The platform's thin surface rippled and the sphere of energy grew even bigger and stronger.

"Control it, Orion!" Chris yelled. A blast of energy blinded everyone close to the stadium as the spiraling red beam lost control and exploded, comet-sized wisps shooting off in about a hundred different directions. While several of them managed to hit Coyote, a few also neared Orion.

"Let it Rip! Special move, Star Guardian!" A voice cried out. Chris's head snapped up, looking around for the source. A golden shield formed around Orion and the other unidentified bey. As the light died down, Chris gasped. "Starlight? A-Astri!" The girl ignored him.

Scowling, Seth called out his next move. "Special move, Hurricane Fang!" Twin tornadoes erupted from the coyote's fangs and he pounced on Starlight and Orion. Astri hardly blinked as she countered back with her own special move. "Spear Ray!" Starlight's bey spirit emerged. The harp the young woman once carried was now a shimmering golden spear that seemed to be made out of starlight. She thrust the spear into Coyote's stomach, and it let loose a burst of pale golden energy that consumed the blood-red coyote. All that could be heard was a deafening howl of pain before the spirit disappeared altogether and the stationary bey was found in the center of the stadium.

Seth growled as he picked up his bey. "Looks like I failed my mission," He said. "But I'm sure Master Corisande will understand, as it was an unfair battle. Till next time." With that, he walked away. Chris's eyes flashed with anger. "That was my battle! You had no right to interrupt it!"

"Excuse me, but you could have gotten hurt! You're lucky we came!" Astri snapped back.

"I was doing just fine! I was challenged, so I'm the one who's bearing responsibility." Chris argued.

"Well sorry for being helpful!"

"Well SORRY FOR BEING RESPONSIBLE!"

"Look Chris," Astri sighed. "It's not your 'responsibility'. You could have told us and we would have helped."

"No. He expected you all to come. That way he could capture all of us at once. I didn't tell you because I didn't want anyone else to get hurt." Astri was shocked. Was she wrong after all? "But-but why weren't you captured?"

"The device he brought only works on several targets at once."

"Still, you were being too rash."

"I was only thinking of my friends' safety!"

"Well your _friends _wouldn't want you to-" A young man interrupted her, glaring. "Excuse me, miss, but can you and your boyfriend take this argument somewhere else? Some of us want to battle." Astri grumbled, grabbing Chris's wrist to drag him off when she realized two things. One, she was holding hands with a _boy. _Two, someone had called Chris her boyfriend. The blond boy seemed to realize it as well. Both of them blushed furiously and Astri quickly let go. Meanwhile, everyone was staring at the two of them. They had never argued before. Astri was one to pick fights easily, but until now, she had never snapped at Chris. And this argument...well...it was ten times as bad as an argument with Gingka.

"HE'S NOT MY BOYFRIEND!"

"SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!" It actually seemed comical that they both said it at the exact same time. "Ah, such young love," Someone in the crowd cooed wistfully. If it was possible, both of them turned redder. Chris limped slowly towards his crutches. Grabbing them, he hobbled away.

"Wait! Where are you going?! Chris? CHRIS!" Astri shouted after him.

"Away," Came the soft reply. He had gotten surprisingly fast on his crutches. Astri walked after him, but he was already gone. She turned to Gingka, dejected. Yu patted her back to comfort her, and she managed a small smile. "I can't believe him."

Tithi suddenly popped up. "I think he just needs some time to cool down. He'll come back sooner or later." It was surprisingly wise for a young child. She was about to return to her hotel to rest when her phone beeped, alerting her to a message. A message from Chris.

_Dear Astri,_

_I think I need some alone time. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. If you want to find me, meet me at the Twilight Woods Tournament in Hong Kong. I'll see you there, so don't panic, OK? Don't do anything crazy. I have the feeling you will._

_Till then, take care. _

_-Chris_

* * *

><p><strong>I made a more Chris centered chapter because its relevant to the plot.<strong>

**Astri: Chris is wrong.**

**Chris: *pops out of nowhere* No, Astri's wrong. **

**Both of them: *Starts arguing***

**Everyone: Ahhh, such young love.**

**Astri and Chris: WHAT?!**

**Me: ...Clearly you're in denial.**

**Astri: N-no!**

**Me: *Ignores her* Hope you enjoyed. Critiques welcome and please review!**


	23. Chapter 23

**I am back with another chapter! Finally! Yay! Sorry if this chapters boring. Its kind of a filler... and there is a battle at the end, but its short. **

**Tithi: I feel unloved. Nyx hasn't put me in a lot of chapters! :(**

**Me: Don't worry Tithi. You're in this chapter!**

**Tithi: Yay!**

**Me: Please enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

><p>Astri was on a plane, yet again, but this time to Hong Kong. Riley and Kyoya had demanded to come along. Riley wanted to have fun and stay with her friends while Kyoya had not battled Gingka yet. Nile was still in the hospital in France and wouldn't be going until he healed properly. Yu wanted to stay, but his other two friends convinced him that Nile would be fine. Tsuki and Fiona had promised to keep an eye on the Skia Bladers.<p>

Picking up a spoon, Astri dug into her sparse meal. Gingka had already finished his food and was ordering seconds, Kyoya was reading a magazine that so happened to be about lions, and Yu was chatting with Riley and Tithi. It all seemed normal- except for the absence of one particular member. Astri sighed, rereading the message that Chris had sent her. He was an important reason why she had managed to stay sane while traveling.

She was currently with a boy who was overly optimistic and annoying, a boy who only cared about beating Gingka and nothing else and three hyper kids. Surprisingly, the kids weren't all bad. They could annoy her like crazy, but they were cute. But Gingka and Kyoya...well that was another issue altogether. Both of them bickered throughout the entire flight, giving her a massive headache. She scrolled through pictures on her phone. She smiled at a picture of her two years ago, seated on her tall dappled gray mare Mist Shower, jumping.

She fondly remembered Misty, who was currently at home in the stables along with her other two horses Luna and Flaming Myth. Misty was a present for her 16th birthday, a five-year-old Arab and Connemara cross. Although the feisty horse didn't like her at first, Astri worked hard to please the mare. Soon, after lots of grooming, quality time and riding, Misty became her best friend. Astri would sometimes spend days at the stable riding and grooming Misty instead of staying home.

"Nice picture." Astri jumped at the sudden voice. Tithi was peering at it. "Your horse?"She nodded. The boy smiled. "Cool."

"I'm the top blader!"

"No, I am!" Astri growled at the two teens at the back bickering. "Shut up! I beat Gingka who beat you previously! So I'm better than both of you! Go back to your lion magazine or whatever!" She turned back to looking at her phone, reminiscing the good old days when she rode Misty without a care in the world. Those were the best days ever.

* * *

><p>"Passengers, we have landed." Astri jumped up, stretching her legs and yawning. She walked out of the plane, closely followed by the others. Tithi frowned. "Where are we going to stay, Astri?" "We'll just stay at a hotel or something."<p>

"But Chris is the one handling the money! He earns it!" Astri smacked her head. _Not funny, Chris. Not funny at all._ She was trying to figure out another place where they could stay for a week, for... two hundred dollars. _Great, job, Astri._ The voice in her head said sarcastically.

_Oh, shut up._ The Starlight blader snapped back mentally. The voice grudgingly fell silent. Gingka was wailing "We have no money to buy food!" while Kyoya, being the person he was, was just not giving a damn about anything. Yu, Tithi and Riley were throwing out random, impossible ideas that really didn't help to improve the mood. Astri mentally face-palmed. She should have brought some money along, or at least taken some for Chris. The group was in a dilemma when a voice from behind interrupted them.

"Or you could stay with us." Gingka whipped around to see Dashan. He had an amused look on his face as he looked his group up and down. "Got some new traveling partners?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow. Gingka slapped his shoulder. "Whatever. I thought Beylin Temple was in Beijing! And how did you know we were here?!"

"It is. We came here for the Twilight Woods Tournament, or the _Mu Se Sen Lin Bi Sai._ And your friend, the blond called Chris, I think, told us you were coming." Astri's heart leaped. Chris was already here in Hong Kong? Was he OK? "Where is he?" She asked. "I'm sorry, but I don't know. He left right after visiting Beylin Temple, and he came just to see how good the bladers were." Dashan replied kindly, guiding his presumed guests towards the taxi.

* * *

><p>-At Beylin Temple's villa-<p>

"You own THIS?!" Tithi said in awe. Dashan chuckled and nodded. When he pulled open the door, they saw the rest of Beylin Temple -Chao Xin, Mei Mei, Chi-Yun, Bao, and Aguma. Chao Xin, Mei Mei and Chi-Yun waved to the group and Aguma simply waved hello. Bao frowned. "I know you, you, you and you,"he said, pointing at Gingka, Kyoya, Yu and Tithi, "But who are the rest?" "I'm Astri and this is Riley." Astri offered. They all sat down for dinner and catching up.

"So there's a new threat, huh? Saving the world, blah blah blah, AGAIN?!" Bao whined. "We have to do that AGAIN?" "Shut up and let the girl continue." Aguma smacked his friend's head, silencing him. "Yes. There are fifteen Ourano Bladers, and eleven have been found. We need to find the other four." Dashan pondered on this for a while before replying. "Could any of our bey's be an Ourano bey?" He, along with the rest of the team, held their beys up for Astri to see. The girl scanned them quickly before shaking her head.

"None of clan?" Mei Mei asked with a disappointed tone in her voice.

"She means 'none of them'.' Chao Xin said, irritated. Astri gave them an apologetic half smile. Dashan shrugged, only slightly disappointed. "Nothing we can do about it. Chi-Yun, show them to their rooms." The short blader led them upstairs where there were a row of guest rooms. And when they say 'guest rooms', each room was the size of a cottage. Cottages were small, but still, a room the size of one was pretty darn big. Gingka plopped down on the bed. "This is the life!"

Pretty soon, everyone was settled down in their rooms. Astri snuggled up under the duvet, reading a book she had brought along during her journey. It was 8.00 at night, but she couldn't sleep. She felt like staying awake for a while more. She gave up on reading the book after a while- she hadn't even been focusing while she picked the book- and flipped open her laptop, clicking on a bookmarked link. It came to her Facebook page, where she posted random pictures of herself and her friends. Her profile picture was, unsurprisingly, a picture of her and Misty jumping over a double. That was a year before, and she looked so much younger in that photo. Her long hair was tied neatly in a ponytail, and she had a huge smile on her face. She had made it a habit to update regularly, so much that it seemed almost like a blog. But since all the chaos started, she hadn't posted anything. She looked at the last entry.

_October 12, 2014_

_Riding Misty again! She is by far the best horse to ride in my opinion:) Anyway, we went to a dressage competition and won 3rd place. Good enough for me! She was a total gem during that test. I really have to feed her more carrots! She is KAWAII in these photos! I mean, just look at them!_

_I'm going to the bey park after this. Heard there's a tournament there and I'm entering. Me and Starlight are definitely gonna win! We make the perfect team! But now, let me eat some chocolate chip cookies-freshly baked. Did I mention they are my all-time favourite food? I could just eat them all day, they are so sweet and crunchy and chocolate-y and... *drools* just PERFECT. I think I rambled on enough about cookies. My birthday's in about a month and a week away! I usually get to eat cookies baked by Mummy but I live by myself now so :( The recipe just isn't there. I try to bake them myself but unfortunately, I'm pretty terrible at cooking and baking. I order them from a bakery near my house._

_And I rambled on again. Sorry! Typing this in the stable while Misty nuzzles my pockets looking for treats. Wish me luck for the Beyblade tournament, everyone! Misty, STOP BITING MY BACK POCKET! EEK! Now I have to check if she tore my jeans too!_

_I guess I'll be back again in a day or two!_

_-Astri_

Astri smiled at the photos of her and Misty posing for the camera. She also had not realized that she was drooling on her pillow. _Cookies...yum..._And it was her birthday in a week? Time passed so quickly? Wow. Sadly she wouldn't be enjoying cookies on her birthday. She would be participating in the Twilight Woods Tournament. Oh well. Maybe the day after that. She decided to update her Facebook page again. As her fingers struck out a rhythm, tapping the buttons rapidly, she became lost in her thoughts of writing and all the recent events.

_November 11, 2014_

_I'm back again. Man, it feels like forever since I updated._

_You'll probably notice that I'm not as hyper as I used to be. My life is very...chaotic now, and I hardly have time to write. My apologies for abandoning this blog. I can't really explain anything, but a lot of things are going on now. I've stopped riding temporarily, and I miss it. I miss jumping, and eventing, and I miss Misty most of all. Flame and Luna too. I'm on a journey with a few friends, and there are a few complications going on now, so don't expect me to update for a long time._

_Any big events that happened in the last month? Well...yes. One, as I said earlier, I went on a journey. The reason why I went on one... well that's something big. I can't tell you why...it's kinda secretive. Well, at least there's some good news!_

_Starlight evolved! Yes, she is now Comet Starlight and she's loads stronger. Unfortunately, I still have a little to learn about controlling the power. It's tricky, but I can keep it under control most of the time. Most. And I realized that this isn't relevant, but I never posted the results of that 'bey competition'. Well, I won._

_I'll be back, don't worry. As if I'd ever abandon this sort of journal/diary/blog. I'd never. But it's definitely going to be left untouched for quite a while._

_-Astri_

She tapped the 'send' button and read her post, contented. Writing everything out was helpful, and besides, her mind was now jam-packed with other things from her previous entry. Plus, she felt tired and couldn't really think about many sad thoughts. She closed her laptop, put it on the bedside table and closed her eyes, expecting to have insomnia like she usually did. It normally took her about two hours to wander into dreamland.

Unknowingly, for the first time in...well, forever, she fell asleep peacefully, quickly, her mind filled with sweet dreams of chocolate chip cookies and horses.

* * *

><p>"Is this drool on my pillow? No wonder. I had such a nice dream about cookies," Astri muttered sleepily, before lazily stretching and sitting up. Where was she? Oh yeah, in the villa. She heard someone rapping on her door. "Come in," She said, annoyed.<p>

"Astri! Your breakfast's ready!" Riley's voice was muffled by the door. "Coming..." The teen grumbled. She changed out of her pajamas into a much more appropriate maroon shirt and long gray pants, not really caring about how she looked. She walked down the stairs. Apparently she was the last one to wake up, since no one was at the table. She quickly ate her breakfast and washed up before walking outside. She found her way to a private training stadium where everyone was battling.

"Go Leone!"

"Pegasus!"

The two beys clashed and Astri watched with interest. Gingka and Kyoya were _finally_ battling and that hopefully marked the end of the bickering over which blader was better. Yu was battling Mei Mei and it seemed like the latter was losing. Tithi was paired up with Riley in a battle against Aguma and Chi-Yun. Dashan had gone off to do some training on his own. Only Bao was standing around a spare stadium, looking a little lonely. Hades Crown was spinning around the stadium, but he watched his bey race around with little interest. Astri walked up.

"Hey, Bao. Wanna battle?" She asked, pulling out her launcher and attaching Starlight to it. In response, the redhead enthusiastically recalled Hades Crown, reattaching it to his launcher. "Ready?" Astri asked with a hint of a taunt in her voice. Bao smirked.

"Bring it on. I was born ready, girl," He countered, aiming his launcher. Astri readied hers too.

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"Let it rip!"

* * *

><p>"Go Quetzalcoatl!" Tithi cheered. His yellow bey crashed into Scythe Kronos, sending it flying. "Fight back Kronos," Aguma replied. Kronos landed at the edge of the stadium and launched itself at Quetzalcoatl, sending it flying. The man smirked but his smug look quickly disappeared when a green blur sent his bey into the stadium wall. Kronos dropped out of the crack, wobbling slightly. Tithi looked at Riley and nodded his thanks, but the hyperactive girl didn't seem to notice. She was too busy with the battle.<p>

"Send everything flying, Roe!" Riley yelled at her bey, who just barreled into every opposing bey she saw with raw power. It worked- both Lacerta and Kronos were tossed aside easily like rag dolls. Tithi ordered Quetzalcoatl to close in and attack while the two beys were weak, but surprisingly, Quetzalcoatl was knocked to the side by Roe, who continued its shower of merciless attacks. Tithi glared at his blond friend, any earlier thoughts of gratitude quickly evaporating.

"Riley, we're supposed to work together!" He snapped. The girl simply shrugged.

"You were in my way!" Riley argued. "I don't have time for this! Special move, Cloud Fissure!" The stadium started to shake violently except for the ground that Forest Roe was on. The other three beys started to wobble. A lot.

"RILEY! Stop it! Special move, Ascent Spark!" The yellow bey spiraled into the air before attacking Roe, causing it to break the special move. The short girl scowled at her partner. "Stay out of my way, Tithi!" She shouted as Roe started attacking every single bey in its line of sight, not giving a care in the world about who it was. "I battle on my own!"

"Fine then! We'll battle separately! Special move, Ishtar Impact!" Both he and Quetzalcoatl glowed amber, and his bey started spinning faster than usual, Quetzalcoatl's beast emerging and heading for Lacerta. Chi-Yun raised an eyebrow. "Tempestuous Whirlwind Sword!" The huge red lizard Lacerta emerged, slamming its tail to meet the attack. The two beys were thrown back equally. Meanwhile, Kronos was closing in while Tithi was distracted.

"Special move, Volcanic Storm!" A mini volcano appeared and erupted, spewing molten lava everywhere, forming a storm with drops of lava instead of water.

"Solid Iron Wall!" Both Chi-Yun and Aguma cried quickly.

While Kronos and Lacerta was barely spinning, Quetzalcoatl had been thrown out of the stadium. Tithi was absolutely livid. "RILEY!"

Chi-Yun and Aguma looked at each other, a look of understanding passing between them, and they nodded. Taking advantage of the squabble, they called out their move. "Thermal Lacerta!"

"Scythe Kronos!"

"Joint Special move! Tartarus Hurricane Blade!" A jet black sword appeared in Kronos's hand and he rushed towards Riley. Lacerta conjured up a hurricane that enveloped the blade completely.

"Ah! Roe!" Riley cried. The deer cried in pain before it was knocked out of the stadium. "Sorry Tithi, I wasn't thinking straight."

"It's OK Riley, it's just one battle." Mei Mei's Aquarius had lost against Kikoeru Libra and they were pretty sure they had heard a "HELL YEAH!" from Gingka. Now, all of their attention was focused on Astri and Bao, who had just started to battle.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry if the writing wasn't my usual standard. And I managed to incorporate horses into this story! Yay! Um, sorry to anyone who doesn't like horses? But COME ON! Everyone does...right? *cute face*<strong>

**Gingka: You try to incorporate horses into every one of your stories.**

**Me: It's true but still... I do ride horses (English), and I love them 3 They're so cool~ **

**Gingka: Shut up about horses if you don't want a broken arm.**

**Me: *Suddenly goes quiet, dark, very dark glare***

**Gingka: Um...?**

**Astri: Nyx has a bad history with broken arms...**

**Me: 3 times in 3 years. Basically once a year. I recently recovered from a broken collarbone. So if you say that phrase I will...**

***1 HOUR LATER***

**Me: *Innocent face***

**Gingka: *Beat up* H...how did you get so many-*shuts mouth***

**Me: Riding accidents? Anyway hope you enjoyed. Next chapter will be Bao vs Astri. Critiques welcome and please review!**


	24. Chapter 24

**I'm back! *Starts humming My Little Pony theme song***

**Kyoya: OH GOD NOT THAT SONG! MLP SUCKS!  
><strong>

**Me: MLP does not suck. And the theme is annoying, that's why I'm singing it~! *Casually throws Rainbow Dash figurine at him***

**Kyoya: THAT HURT!  
><strong>

**Me: Whatever. Do the disclaimer.**

**Kyoya: Do I really have to?**

**Me: I have Leone here.**

**Kyoya: *Sighs* Nyx does not own MFB. Please enjoy. Not...**

* * *

><p>Hades Crown and Comet Starlight circled around each other, waiting for the opponent to make a move. Finally, Bao couldn't wait any longer. "Go, Hades Crown!" The red bey moved towards Starlight quickly. Astri smirked. "Starlight, dodge it!" The gold bey's slanted performance tip rotated and it moved to the left, easily avoiding the attack. Hades Crown chased after the bey, but each time, Starlight was able to evade the attacks smoothly. The one who was losing stamina faster was now Hades Crown.<p>

"Your attacks are too predictable!" Astri called in a sing-song voice. Bao narrowed his eyes. Starlight now changed its strategy and slammed into Hades Crown at full speed, causing the opposing bey to wobble slightly. Bao watched helplessly as his bey was bashed over and over again.

"Hades Crown! Flash Attack!" Hades Crown rushed towards Starlight at an incredible speed, causing a massive explosion and red light to fill the air. Astri shielded her eyes from the light. Finally, the smoke died down to reveal a Starlight that was wobbling.

"Not bad, Bao. Go now Starlight! Stamina mode!" The bottom split half of Starlight's fusion wheel moved up, so that it fit snugly below the top half. Bao then noticed the twisted design of the silver ring. Hades Crown kept on attacking but Starlight didn't seem to be affected a lot. The black, gold and silver bey circled furiously around Hades Crown in a barrage attack, before striking with an uppercut attack, sending the red bey into the air. Bao suddenly smirked.

Astri gasped as Hades Crown started to spin wildly in the air. And by wildly, she meant in several different directions at once. Several red streaks appeared in the sky, forming a ball. Bao smiled. "Special move, Crimson Turbo!" The ball crashed into Hades Crown, causing it to accelerate. Astri flinched as a glowing red bey hit Starlight at almost light speed. Even the bey in Stamina mode had taken some serious damage. The bey was now wobbling a lot. Bao raised an eyebrow. "So this is what an Ourano Blader's power is? I can't say I'm impressed. Hades Crown!" The bey struck Comet Starlight over and over again, giving it no chance to escape.

Suddenly, Astri saw her chance when the be paused for a split second. "Escape now, Starlight! Attack mode!"

The silver wheel moved downwards again, sending centrifugal force to the bey. The performance tip rotated again and Starlight fled to the center of the arena. "Special move, Blinding Star," She called. Starlight glowed brightly and sent the deadly concentrated wave of gold light towards Hades Crown, who was sent to the edge of the stadium. It was still spinning, but its spin power had decreased quite a lot since the start of the battle. Bao growled under his breath.

"Whatever. Flash Attack!" He commanded. "Shoot!" Astri muttered. The voice in her head chided her. _What are you doing? You're having problems against this blader?!_

_No, I'm far from finished. Stay quiet, would ya?_

_Whatever... _Came the reluctant reply. The voice fell silent, leaving Astri to concentrate.

A crimson flash struck Astri's bey, making it weaken. But no, Hades Crown was far from done. It changed direction and charged into Starlight again, causing it to be sent flying into the sky. Bao crossed his arms and smiled. "You're finished." His eyes widened when Astri seemed completely relaxed even though she was losing. "Not," She stated, pointing to the sky, where a thin golden line was forming. The voice couldn't resist the urge to talk. _Hurry up and do it already!_

"Shut up, I know what to do!" Astri realized that she said it out loud and she slapped her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide. Bao stared at her, slightly freaked out. Of course the redhead had to think that she had mental problems. Whatever. Now wasn't the time for such thoughts. She refocused and watched the gold line reach the highest possible point and sparkle in the sunlight. Bao gasped as he realized what the girl was up to.

Astri was enveloped in a bright golden aura that attracted the attention of everyone else. Her normally sapphire eyes contained tinges of gold that flashed. "Special move, Diving Starburst!" She commanded. The light shone even brighter as Comet Starlight absorbed the power of the stars and the hauntingly beautiful melody played. Three stars appeared in the sky, enveloped by gold-orange flames, each one scoring a direct hit on Hades Crown.

Bao was too shocked to react as a glowing Starlight followed soon after, causing a massive explosion.

When the smoke cleared, Hades Crown was in a crack in the stadium, not spinning. Starlight was still spinning, also in a crack. It flew back to Astri's hand, sizzling with the heat from the battle. Bao walked forward to recall his bey. He then stared up at Astri. "You...how..."

"You were overconfident," She said simply before spinning on her heel and walking off, leaving a bemused Bao at the arena. Gingka tapped her on the shoulder. "Hey, Astri," The lavender haired girl ignored her and walked off to take a drink, probably embarrassed by talking out loud before she had called her special moved. He got up from the bench and jogged after her. "Who were you talking to?" Astri sighed and turned around.

"Do I really have to tell you?" She asked with a defeated note in her voice. She knew how persistent the Pegasus blader could be. Everyone else had already arrived, curious. _Oh, yeah, let's totally tell everyone my big secret! _She thought sarcastically.

_Big secret? I'm not that big. Besides, they won't kill you or anything._

_Could you just SHUT UP FOR ONCE?!_

"I was talking to Starlight," Astri said indifferently. Tithi gasped. He stared up at the older girl with wonder. "You can actually talk to your bey?" Astri nodded. "But how?" Yu asked.

"The star charm on my necklace. It was given to me along with Starlight when I was little. A piece of Starlight's spirit is sealed in this Charm, enabling her to communicate with me. Ya follow?" She looked around at the group who just stared back at her, totally lost. She face-palmed. "Never mind."

* * *

><p>-Five days later-<p>

After five long days of exhausting training, everyone was ready to drop. So they retired to their rooms for the night. Astri still had an hour before she usually slept, so she kept herself occupied by watching My Little Pony videos, snuggling with her plushy-yes, she had a plushy. A Princess Luna plushy. And she was not about to let anyone know that. She soon became bored and decided to sleep. Just then, there was a knock on the door. "Come in," She yawned.

Just as Yu entered her room, Astri realized that she still had her plushy out. She quickly stuffed it under the covers, but Yu had seen it. He grinned, trying to stifle a laugh-and failing. "You have a plushy?" "No," Astri said, completely straight-faced.

"Nah, I saw it already. But seriously, Astri, I never thought you were a My Little Pony fan-" The girl turned red with embarrassment at this point. "-and that even have a plushy, you don't seem like the type to have a-" Astri cut him off. "What are you here for?"

"I need an extra towel." Astri walked into the bathroom, grabbed a towel from the rack and chucked it at him. Smiling, he caught it neatly and walked off. The Starlight blader wiped her bey one more time to ensure that it was in good condition before burrowing under the covers and falling asleep.

* * *

><p>Astri yawned as she woke up, quickly checking the time. It was 7 a.m. Good, she woke up on time. The tournament started at nine and she couldn't afford to be late. She took a quick shower to rejuvenate herself and slicked her hair back into a tight ponytail. She walked down the stairs to join the group for breakfast. Yu took one look at her and his mouth started twitching. The lavender haired girl narrowed her eyes at him in a glare, sending him a silent threat. <em>Don't. Say. A. Word. Or else. <em>Everyone knew that Astri's threats were serious. So Yu bit his lip to keep himself from smiling and silently took a bite of his breakfast.

"So, Astri," The teen jumped slightly at Gingka's sudden voice. "You excited that we're going to see Chris again? And maybe find an Ourano blader?" Astri almost missed the second part. She missed the Orion blader. A lot. Like every single muscle in her body was tensed and ready to bolt to the competition location. She wanted to scream _DUH! _loudly in his face, but she retained her usual expression and nodded. "Yeah. A little."

Tithi looked closer. "You're blushing. Are you crushing on him?" The slight tint of red on her cheeks flared up and she looked away. "NO!" She ignored the fact that she was blushing like mad and that her heart was pounding. She barely heard Gingka say, "_Oh, she's got it bad."_

"Lovebirds!" Tithi and Riley chorused before all three of them started singing happily.

"Astri and Chris sitting in a tree~" Astri growled at them and they had the sense to shut up.

"Oh, by the way, Gingka?"

"Yes?"

"Could we go to Greece after this tournament?"

"Sure, but why?"

"There's a rumor of a really powerful blader there. And I would like to take this opportunity to visit home as well."

"Oh. OK then."

"Everyone finished?" Da Xiang asked, poking his head around the door, completely unaware of what had happened. When the group nodded, he pointed outside. "Because the taxi's here. Let's go." Everyone filed into the taxi and the vehicle sped off towards the competition location.

* * *

><p>At 8.15, the taxi pulled to a halt outside the location and the bladers jumped out. There were four paths leading up to a large flat surface with a stadium in it. The paths were large and wide enough for multiple bladers to cross at one time. There were also several natural obstacles for them to cross. It was something like the Beyster Island Championships, according to Mei Mei. Bladers were supposed to go as fast as they could to reach the mountain peak, and they had to successfully pass the obstacles as well. In fact, it <em>was <em>a recreated version of the Championships-the only exception was the fact that you could battle on the paths as well as the checkpoints.

Astri scanned the large crowd of spectators, unable to find Chris. She grumbled. "The crowd's too big." Luckily, no one heard her over all the noise. She sighed. _I'll just register first._

She joined the snake-like queue in the competitors tent. Actually, it wasn't really a tent. It was just a _really _large sheltered area. Most of them were queuing. Some were milling around waiting for the briefing to start. It was total chaos everywhere- and she hated chaos. She had enough wildness in her life-she didn't need more.

Gingka had found some old friends- Yuki and Kenta- and was chatting with them happily. Meanwhile, Astri tapped her foot on the floor in boredom.

Finally, after an eternity of waiting, she reached the tent. She signed against her name before joining the other participants in waiting for the briefing to start. Most of them was here already. Suddenly, Astri saw a familiar tuft of blond hair. She groaned inwardly. _Don't tell me...he plans to complete with a broken ankle?!_

The teen turned his head slightly, revealing his dark purple eyes. Yup, that was Chris. Astri felt her face heating up and her heart beating really fast-it was a mystery why she hadn't exploded yet. The blond Orion blader didn't seem to have noticed the teen. He was just sitting slightly away from the chaos of the crowd, eyes focused on nowhere in particular. Astri was about to walk up to him when the Chinese DJ shouted into the microphone. "All bladers, please assemble! The briefing is starting!"

Astri was unable to do anything as the crowd surged forward, causing her to be unwillingly pushed back.

_Chris..._

* * *

><p><strong>Astri has a crush on someone!<strong>

**Astri: DO NOT!**

**Everyone else: DOES TOO!**

**Me: Just admit it already.**

**Astri: I DON'T HAVE A CRUSH ON HIM!**

***Dynamis suddenly enters***

**Me: Oh, there he is! Hi! I drew you! And I wrote a song about you for absolutely no reason at all! I drew Chris too but that's not relevant!**

**Chris and Dynamis: Stalker much...?**

**Me: Critiques welcome and please review! *Chases after Chris and Dynamis* COME BACK HERE YOU TWO!**


	25. Chapter 25

**This chapter has two battles in it. The next few chapters will be focused on the Twilight Woods Tournament, so hopefully you won't grow bored with that. And I am planning something with the third chapter, so hopefully it's OK. **

**Gingka: You seem oddly sane for once. Did you not have sugar?**

**Me: Um, firstly, I didn't have sugar and I have never been on a sugar rush. Secondly, I am naturally hyper but it's nighttime now.**

**Gingka: EVERYONE! LET'S TREASURE THIS TIME! PARTY!  
><strong>

**Me: Such a kid... Anyway, hope you enjoy! I don't own MFB!**

* * *

><p>"All right! As you see, the Twilight Woods Tournament is a similar set-up to the Beyster Island Championships. You have to race up these four paths-which are intertwined with each other, I have to add- and cross these natural obstacles. You can battle each other anywhere, anytime- it's not just restricted to the checkpoints." He paused to take a sip of water. "However, at the checkpoints, once your opponent is defeated, you have to wait until the next blader comes, where you have to defeat him or her before you can move on."<p>

"The two bladers who reaches the top first wins. Everyone clear?" The bladers nodded. "Great! We'll be starting the tournament in 10 seconds. Ten, nine , eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two... ONE!" A gong sounded and every participant rushed forward. Astri ran up to Chris, noting that he had taken off his cast. His ankle had healed slightly, but it hadn't mended yet. The teenage girl was hoping to talk some sense into him.

"Chris-" She started. The blond cut her off.

"I'll see you at the top if you make it, Astri," He stated before disappearing in one swift motion. He was insanely quick, despite the fact that he had an injured foot. It must have been his blader-for-hire thing. Brushing the thought aside, she ran up the nearest path. Almost immediately, she was surrounded by beys. She saw a group of ten boys smirking at her. "It's not nice to gang up on a girl," Was all she said before she launched Starlight, blowing away all the beys.

"I have to get there no matter what," She muttered to herself. "Whoa!" She nearly ran straight into a giant log. _Natural obstacles, huh._ She climbed over it with some difficulty. She kept Starlight by her side, who easily knocked away any bey that tried to come close to her. After a few minutes, she reached a checkpoint. It was an walled area with a door that signaled the exit. "So who's my opponent?" She asked, recalling Starlight. Her question was soon answered as a boy walked up. Black and gold hair, green eyes, pale skin, skinny figure. She glared at him with hatred in her eyes. "Kage," She snarled. The blader opposite her smirked, readying his launcher.

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"Let it rip!"

Kage raised an eyebrow at the gold bey that rushed towards him. Werewolf stopped the attack easily. "My bey's a defense type, you know. Your attacks do virtually nothing," He said. Astri growled. A Skia blader would not be forgiven. She felt anger rising up inside her from the very _thought. You will PAY!_ Starlight glowed and started to increase its attack power. _Calm down!_ Starlight told her urgently. Astri took a deep breath. This would _not_ be like the other time. She would control it.

Finally, she managed to knock the bey back. "Not bad. Go Werewolf!" He said. The black and silver bey's fusion wheel changed, revealing sharp blades. "Attack mode!" Now Starlight was the one being pushed back. "Ugh! Starlight, fight back!"

Starlight went from Stamina mode to Attack mode, the two beys now clashing again. Starlight, being mainly an attack type, was able to win in terms of power- but the defensive Kinzoku Werewolf managed to keep damage from each attack minimal using its heavy Energy Ring. "Special move, Howling Fangs!"

"Um- Special move, Star Guardian!" A golden shield formed around Starlight, causing the black Werewolf's fangs to harmlessly bounce off. The shield then melted and Starlight dived straight for Werewolf. However, it was sent flying back into the stadium. "The spikes on its performance tip repel beys who try to attack it. I have to remember that," Astri said.

"Special move, Spear Ray!" Starlight's bey spirit appeared and she held the gold spear. Werewolf howled in pain as it was sent flying back, wobbling. "Special move, Shadow Assault!" Werewolf suddenly disappeared. Astri gasped in shock. "Where did it go?!" Suddenly, a blob of black shadows engulfed Starlight, causing it to wobble. "The only way to spot it is to see the shadows on the ground!" Astri realized, training her eyes on the stadium.

She saw a black circle emerge near Starlight. "Now, Starlight! Escape!" It's performance tip whirled around and it sped away to the left. "Too late!" Another shadow froze Starlight, and her bey was unable to move. Starlight's spin was slowly becoming less steady. "Special move, Blinding Star!"

The stadium became extremely hot, lighting up, causing Werewolf to show itself, the cloak of shadows melting away. The deadly ray of gold energy swept across the stadium, causing Werewolf to be sent flying. However, it was still spinning. "Gah! It didn't finish it?!" Astri grumbled.

"Don't underestimate me," Was all Kage said before Werewolf headed towards Starlight. _Hmm... The extra-heavy energy ring gives it superior balance and defense, but also decreases attack power and speed! _"Starlight! Dodge his attacks!" _Dodging is my specialty after all! _The gold bey danced around Werewolf, causing Kage to become increasingly annoyed. He started to think what he could do. Suddenly, a sadistic smile started to spread across his face, making Astri uneasily back away a few steps. _Uh oh. I don't like the look on his face..._

"Special move, Silent Steel Crush!" He said. A metallic silver light filled the stadium, and everything became so quiet that it made Astri feel worried. "Starlight? Are you OK?" After about a minute, the light finally started to ebb away, and then the horrible noise came. A grinding metallic high-pitched sound, and an agonized scream from her bey that made her heart twist. A piece of Starlight's fusion wheel had been broken off, causing it to lose its balance.

"Like it? You're easier than your brother," He said, smirking. "W-What?" Astri stuttered, her eyes wide and a look of shock on her face. Finally, realization dawned on her. "You were the one who captured him?" She felt her rage building up and Starlight couldn't do anything about it. "Took you long enough to realize." Astri growled at him. "And," He continued. "Your bey is going to meet the same fate as Jupiter's. That is, it's going to be completely shattered."

"You...you broke Jupiter...Dynamis's beloved bey..." She started shaking in fury. "You...you MONSTER!" A gold aura erupted from her, her sapphire eyes becoming tinged with gold, just like when she battled Bao. However, this time, it was way more intense. The gold light around her formed a huge column in the sky, and she felt herself _changing. _ lavender hair grew a little and turned into a deep shade of purple, the strands tying themselves into a braid, and she gained a white and gold dress as well as black tights and indigo boots. A half-crown was set upon her head. _Well, I guess you true power wasn't quite unleashed yet, Starlight_ said.

"You will _pay _with what you did to my brother. I will win this. I WILL!" The gold aura became even brighter and even Kage backed away, fear present in his eyes. "What...what's happening to her? I don't like this! Quick, Special move, Mechano Blaster!" A cannon-like blast of silver energy was fired towards Starlight, who was glowing brighter than ever. Astri felt newfound power rising up in her. She had a slightly wild and demented smile on her face.

"Special move, Infinity Electro Star!"

"What?!" Kage exclaimed.

_Ooh, the more powerful replacement for Diving Starburst! This should be interesting! _Starlight commented.

Comet Starlight headed to the center of the stadium and started to spin in a tight circle, generating a column of gold energy. The gold energy then shot upwards and formed a four-point star in the sky, connected by the hidden stars. Kage stared at the massive star crackling with electrical energy above the stadium, gulping. "This is gonna hurt. A lot."

"SHOW THEM WHAT YOU CAN DO, STARLIGHT!" The bey was glowing so brightly that you could hardly see it's form, only a circle of bright gold light in the center of the stadium. The huge star descended from the sky and crashed into the stadium. There was a massive explosion of smoke, electric sparks and golden light. When the smoke cleared, a battered Werewolf was half-wedged in the ground just outside the stadium. Starlight was still spinning. The glow died down and it flew back to Astri's hand, sizzling and smoking. There was a flash of light and Astri returned to her normal self. "Well that was fun."

Astri waited for a few seconds for Starlight to stop spinning in her hand before running over to the door, pressing her bey into a bey-sized square slot. With a click, the door slid open and Astri ran out. "Later, Skia scum!" Then, she continued on her way. "What? Starlight healed itself?" The piece of it's fusion wheel that had previously been broken off was back. "I don't know. Anyway, that battle cost me precious time. I'll have to make up for it." She snapped out of her thoughts when she saw beys flying towards her.

"So they want a battle? I'll give them one! LET IT RIP!"

* * *

><p>Yuki walked into a checkpoint. "I wonder who I'll be facing. Looks like no one's here yet." He inspected the bey scanner on the door, his eyes lighting up. "This is cutting-age technology! How did they make these?" He said in wonder. "Maybe it was bey recognition, or-" He was cut off by a voice behind him.<p>

"Are you done babbling on about technology yet?" He spun around to see a girl walking through the entrance. She had glossy black hair tied in a fishtail braid, complete with ocean-blue highlights. She wore a long-sleeved blue shirt, a green skirt and navy shoes. "Uh, yeah, I'm done!"

The girl aimed her bey at the stadium. Yuki rushed to attach Mercury Anubis to his launcher. "What's your name? I'm-"

"I know, you're Yuki Mizusawa. A Legendary Blader. Why wouldn't I know you? Anyway, I'm Lyn and this is my bey, Cyclone Vaporeon," She said, holding up a bey that was in multiple different shades of blue. It had a twisted, skinny fusion wheel, a smooth circular energy ring and a wide performance tip.

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"Let it rip!"

Vaporeon spun steadily at the middle of the stadium while Anubis circled around restlessly. Finally, Yuki attacked, Anubis rushing recklessly into Vaporeon. However, it didn't do much damage. Vaporeon didn't budge at all. Yuki was shocked. "But how?"

"Cyclone Vaporeon's twisted fusion wheel enables the damaged surface area to be minimized!" She replied. "My Vaporeon is built for defense and stamina. But it's attack isn't bad, though!" She said, and the blue bey hit Anubis, knocking it back. Yuki gritted his teeth. Anubis and Vaporeon smashed into each other, with the attack-type Anubis gaining the upper hand. Yuki smirked. "How do you like that, Lyn?" The girl made a gesture that signaled "not bad".

Anubis continued it's onslaught of full-power attacks. However, Lyn stood there, not commanding Vaporeon to do anything. Yuki was growing increasingly annoyed. "Why aren't you counterattacking?!" He demanded. Lyn said nothing, but instead pointed at the stadium. Vaporeon's spin had hardly slowed, only wobbling ever so slightly despite the shower of blow that had been rained upon it. Anubis, on the hand, had lost stamina over time and it was wobbling more than Vaporeon.

Yuki's eyes widened. "Don't tell me... the-" Lyn interrupted his thoughts.

"That the broad energy ring and performance tip help to increase Vaporeon's stamina a lot?" She said sweetly, finishing his sentence. Yuki frowned. _She's a good blader. Now, if I can just find an opening to attack the spin track...that's it! _He was struck by a sudden brainwave. "Go, Anubis!" The light blue bey used its low center of gravity to dive underneath the fusion wheel and into the low unguarded part of the spin track. Vaporeon flew back.

Now, the two beys circled around each other until Lyn decided to call a move. "Now, Vaporeon!" The bey started to head towards Anubis. "Special move-" Yuki cut her off. "Not so fast! Special move, Randomizer! This move forces an opponent to use its weakest special move!" However, he didn't expect Lyn to be totally relaxed. "Thanks a lot, Yuki! You _totally helped me _and now you're going to pay for it!" she said.

"What?"

"I _was _going to use my weakest move! What if it was a support move, huh? You just made me use Ocean Veil!" The stadium was filled with water, and Vaporeon suddenly glowed a bright blue before dissolving. "It disappeared?" Vaporeon was nowhere to be seen, and Anubis was constantly being hit.

"Now Vaporeon! Whirlpool Blaster!" A concentrated whirlpool appeared and hit Anubis, causing its spin to decrease. "You see, Ocean Veil increases Vaporeon's power and gives it invisibility! Big mistake, _Yuki," _She taunted. Yuki growled at her. He was frantically trying to think of a way to stop the water. "Let's try this, Anubis! Special move, Vacuum Slash!" Lyn didn't like this, not one bit. She didn't like what was coming. Anubis zipped through the whirlpool which was consuming the stadium. This caused a rip in the water, and after a while, the water fizzled out and disappeared. A form rippled in the stadium, causing Anubis to attack it. The form flickered for a while before becoming fully solid. The glow around Vaporeon died down and it was revealed to be wobbling.

"Death Trident!" Anubis's bey spirit appeared, holding a spiky blue and black trident. It struck Vaporeon, causing it to almost fly out of the stadium. Lyn was in a tight spot. _Let me not use Randomizer in this battle again, _Yuki thought. Meanwhile, Lyn bit her lip, racking her brain to come up with ideas while Vaporeon took the hits. Even a good defense-type bey would break eventually. Vaporeon was now wobbling a lot now. Finally, Lyn raised her head.

"Special move, Discharge Wave!" A watery shock wave swept over Anubis, causing sparks to fly off its metal frame. Now, it's spin power was about the same as Vaporeon's. A smile crossed Yuki's face. "Say, Lyn, what do you say we end this battle right now?" The girl nodded.

"I'll have you know that the winner's going to be me, Legendary blader or not!" She said.

"We'll see about that! Anubis, Brave Impact!" Yuki retorted.

"Special move! Cyclone Vaporeon, Neptune Freeze!" Anubis glowed light blue and hurled itself into a pillar of swirling water that was surrounded by a frosty rainbow aurora. Through the water, Yuki could see Vaporeon's bey spirit for the first time. It was an elegant creature with four limbs and fin-like ears. It also had a white spiky fin around its head as well as a blue ridge down its back. It also had a sleek mermaid's tail.

"Don't give up, Anubis!" Yuki yelled, his light blue Legendary Aura flaring up around him. Lyn watched in amazement. "What is that?!"

There was a giant explosion that threw Lyn off her feet. When the smoke cleared, Vaporeon was stationary in the arena while Anubis was barely spinning. Yuki recalled his bey and looked down at the girl on the floor. "Aw man, I lost."

"Hey Lyn. Good battle," Yuki said, smiling. "You're definitely strong!" The girl nodded, shaking his hand. Then, Yuki ran forward, placing his bey on the scanner, unlocking the door. He ran out, waving to Lyn.

* * *

><p>"A checkpoint!" Kenta cried. "So who's my opponent?" A figure emerged from the opposite end. He smiled. "Gingka!"<p>

The Pegasus blader winked at him. "I knew we would meet. What do you say we make this battle memorable?" Kenta nodded firmly. "It is on!" They aimed their launchers at the stadium. "We finally get to battle Gingka! Why bother with the counting?"

"You know what, Kenta? You're right. Let it-" He started, waiting for his friend to finish the stadium.

"Rip!"

* * *

><p><strong>I learnt not to piss Astri off. Or else you know what's going to happen.<strong>

**Gingka: She's always angry.**

**Astri: I heard that! *Pulls out Starlight***

**Gingka: So you want a battle? *Battles***

**-5 minutes later, Gingka is on the way to the hospital-**

**Me: Anyway, I need to go create an OC.**

**Astri: YOU MEAN YOU HAVEN'T CREATED ALL OF THEM YET?! *Starts ranting***

**Me: Sheesh, I created his personality and bey. Now all I need is his name and appearance. Argh how I hate creating some OCs. I have been stuck on this one for a long time. :(**

**Faceless OC: Hi. I think you better get to creating me.**

**Me: *Facepalms* Tomorrow. Meanwhile critiques welcome and please review!**


	26. Chapter 26

**Me: Hi, here is a new chapter for ya. Bye. *Returns to room***

**Kenta: What just happened?**

**Hikaru: We are supposed to take care of this chapter because the author is busy.**

**Kenta: Busy with what?**

**Gingka: OC business or something like that.**

**Hikaru: Nyx does not own MFB and please enjoy.**

* * *

><p>The two beys clashed headfirst, with Pegasus getting blown back. Gingka looked pleasantly surprised. "You've gotten stronger, Kenta! But not strong enough! Go!" The blue bey rushed forward and struck with an uppercut attack, causing Sagittario to be knocked into the air. Pegasus then scaled the stadium wall, launching itself upwards and attacking Sagittario again. The yellow bey landed back in the stadium only for Pegasus to strike multiple times. However, Kenta still smirked.<p>

"You can't reach the fusion wheel!" He taunted. Saggitario dove downwards and attacked Pegasus. It then pushed it all the way to the back of the stadium and up the wall, until it seemed that Pegasus was going to get a stadium out. "No! Push back!" Gingka yelled. With some difficulty, his bey managed to stand its ground, glowing blue and forcing Sagittario of it. It had used up some energy while doing this, and was thus wobbling slightly.

Sagittario launched itself upwards just like Pegasus had done earlier. "Go for an attack from above!" Kenta cheered. However, at the last moment, Pegasus dodged, causing Sagittario to take some serious damage. "Ugh..." Kenta said. "You OK, Sagittario?" He asked. The bey was wobbling, but still spinning.

The two beys clashed over and over again. Surprisingly, now Pegasus rivaled Sagittario in terms of strength. Gingka sighed. "This isn't going anywhere, you know." Kenta nodded. "Well I'll just end it now, then! Special move, Diving Arrow!" The bey spun upwards and disappeared into the sky. "Watch out Pegasus!" Gingka called. A flaming bey was headed towards the stadium. Gingka winced and braced himself for the impact.

The field was engulfed by flames for a moment. Gingka could feel the heat actually radiating out from Sagittario. "Wow...you're good," Gingka admitted as the flames disappeared. Pegasus's spin was less steady now.

"Now it's my turn. Pegasus, Cosmic Tornado!" Gingka commanded as his bey moved around rapidly in a large circle as its attack power multiplied dramatically. Kenta gulped. "Uh oh." Pegasus-or rather the "multiple copies" of Pegasus- slammed full-force into Sagittario.

Sagittario was wobbling now as well. "You're good too Gingka. But I'm still going to win," Kenta commented. Sagittario counterattacked, and Pegasus gladly met the attack. "Oh yeah. This battle is getting _intense._ Exactly the way I like it," Kenta said, smiling.

Gingka nodded. "Too right, Kenta. I think I'll try my new special move. Galactic Orbit!" The Pegasus constellation appeared in the sky as Pegasus flew up and sped round Earth, going into orbit. It continued to increase its speed, and for a moment, it seemed like both of them were standing in a galaxy. Kenta was amazed and he had a starstruck expression on his face. "This is so beautiful!" He looked around before his eyes finally rested on what looked like a bright blue ring. "Is that...Pegasus?" The blue bey was going so fast only a blue streak could be seen. Pegasus then converted the streak behind it to energy, sending it flying downwards.

"Oh no! Sagittario!" Kenta yelled. His bey's spin now had a significant decrease. _Not good. If I don't do something, soon then I'm doomed._ "You're not the only one with a new move! Go now! Pyre Flare!" He shouted to his bey. His yellow bey traveled towards the center of the arena, spinning. The air around it heated up and formed small rings of fire. The rings then merged together to become a huge ball of flames that expanded around Sagittario, flaring up and swallowing the stadium. "Whoa," Was all Gingka managed to get out at the sight of the impressive fire. It started to grow and increase in intensity, Pegasus's spin steadily decreasing.

Finally, the ball fizzled out, revealing a Pegasus that was barely spinning. Gingka and Kenta grinned simultaneously. They knew that the last move would end it. "The victor will be me!" Gingka proclaimed. "No, it'll be me!" Kenta argued back.

"Pegasus, special move! Astral Meteor!" Gingka cried, becoming engulfed in blue. Pegasus started glowing as well.

"Oh yeah? Special move, Sagittario! Arrow Blaze!" Kenta replied, his yellow Legendary Blader surrounding both him and Sagittario.

Pegasus summoned a blast of energy that was released into he sky, rising all the way into the universe. It absorbed the energy there before a dark blue shape in the form of a meteor was formed. The meteor hummed with energy as it made its quick descent onto Earth. However, Kenta wasn't deterred at all.

Sagittario had fired a huge arrow of flames towards Gingka, the air breaking around it as it neared the bey. But this wasn't just an _ordinary_ arrow- if you could even call an arrow that was made out of fire ordinary, that is. This arrow was _explosive._

The two special moves collided and caused a massive explosion. Smoke and dust flew up around the field, causing both bladers to shield their faces. Then, everything suddenly changed.

Gingka and Kenta watched in alarm as the explosion was blew away by three blinding red beams. Both Sagittario and Pegasus were quickly blown away into the ground next to the stadium. They walked forward to pick their beys up, gasping at the bey in the arena that had caused all of this. It was pulsing with magenta energy. The bey itself was dark pink. The bey flew back to a figure in the tree hanging nearby. "Orion! Chris?!"

There was a rustle of leaves as the teen lightly jumped down, landing a little shakily on one foot. He shot a glance at Gingka before pressing his bey into the scanner, running out.

"What just happened?"

* * *

><p>Yu ran into a checkpoint, seeing his opponent had already arrived. He looked a lot like someone Astri had described- Kaiian or, well, <em>something<em> like that. He looked really creepy. He had spiky apple green hair, some of it partially covering one eye. He had tan skin and pale amber-coloured eyes. However, it seemed that his outfit had changed since last time.

He had on a long-sleeved black shirt with a device attached to his arm. It was some sort of tracker and recorder. Probably to send some information back to that nasty Skia headquarters. Well, he wouldn't let that happen? Also, what was with that light translucent orange glass fixed over one eye? Was it like a computer of some sorts?

He fixed Libra to his launcher. "Well, Mr Evil Person, care to get started? The other teen rolled his eyes and held up his own launcher by response. "Whatever, _little boy."_ Yu was furious. He hated that nickname. "I'm not little! I am 12 for goodness sake!" He yelled at Kaiian who was smirking at seeing him all riled up even before the battle, "Yeah? Well, I'm seven years older than you so why not just shut up so we can start already," He said. Yu had a determined expression on his face. _Oh, he is so going down!_

"Whatever! I hate you already even though we've known each other for two minutes!"

"I told you to shut up, little boy. 3!"

"Ugh, you are NOT- 2!"

"1!" Kaiian shouted gleefully. _Now I'm able to record Libra's data. _

"Let it rip!"

Yu took a deep breath. _Calm down. It's only going to make him happy if he sees me all worked up._ Being the attack type, Destruction Chimera closed in for an attack almost as soon as it landed, unbalancing Libra. Even Yu was jolted by that. "That was unexpected," He commented, earning a smug smile from his opponent. His opponent gave him no time to recover, immediately hitting him again and again. Yu shifted his ultra-sharp senses into Level Two, searching for an opening.

When Kaiian was getting a little cocky, he let his bey slip up just the tiniest bit. It was just by a few millimeters, yet Yu was able to see it with his freakish eyesight and computer-like brain. "Now Libra! Sonic wave!" A concentrated n sound wave was released from the lime-coloured bey, causing it to move back. "All right Libra! Sonic Buster!"

_What do I do?!_ Kaiian thought frantically as the ground turned into sand, causing his bey to gradually sink into the soft earth. Yu glared at him. "If you can't even counter this simple move, then there will be no pride in beating you!" He complained. He was _not_ about to lose to a little kid. _That's it!_ He smirked. "OK, little boy, I give you some credit. You're decent. But maybe then I'll have some pride in defeating _you!_ Go now, Wing Mode!"

Yu looked on in amazement as Chimera's performance tip retracted slightly. Now, it was hovering _just_ above the surface, enabling it to evade the bumpy surface. "Attack now!" Chimera's bey spirit appeared, the silver and green chimera that roared. It sank its razor-sharp fangs into Libra. "Argh!" Even Libra, one of the best stamina types around, took some damage from the forceful attack. It was wobbling slightly now. "Oh no! He is good!" Yu growled.

"Told ya! One more time!" Kaiian said, falling into a comfortable rhythm, Chimera speeding towards it again. "But I'm prepared for those types of attacks again! I won't be tricked twice!" Said Yu. "Go Libra!" Sonic Shield!" A green shield formed around Libra, causing the other silver bey to bounce off. "This is annoying..." Kaiian said.

"Now Libra! Attack with Sonic Wave!" A stream of concentrated sound energy hit Chimera repeatedly in the spin track-it's weak spot. Now the bey wasn't spinning so steadily. "Gah!"

"Libra is spinning less steadily than it should be...don't tell me, the snake heads do extra damage?" Yu exclaimed. "Whatever! I have to focus on this battle!" Libra smashed hard into Chimera, sending it back. Kaiian's eyes hardened. "Special move! Whirlwind Savage!" A huge whirlwind shook the stadium. _Oh, god, that is one heck of an attack._ "Brace yourself, Libra! Defense mode!" When the wind finally cleared, Libra was revealed to have a thicker fusion wheel and a piece of rubber over the spin track.

Kaiian was speechless. "How...?"

"Special move! Final Infernal Vortex!" A huge pillar of green and gold light rose up, sucking Chimera in. With a satisfying high-pitched ring, the light dimmed down and Chimera was left wobbling in the stadium. "That sucked for you!"

Kaiian's computer processed the information. _Kikoeru Libra, a stamina type. A fusion wheel that can quickly expand or contract for mode changes. The performance tip is free-rotating, giving it really good stamina. But like all beys, this bey has a weak spot... That's it!_ "Go now! Special move, Toxic Jab!" Chimera appeared, it's two snake heads shooting a thin streak of purple at Libra. Yu frowned. What type of moves was _that?_

_OK then. Level 3 for my senses._ This was the second highest level, and he could pretty much sense almost anything now. He focused on Libra, a mental image of it popping up in his head. The weird thing was, Libra's spin seemed to decrease by 0.024% every second. _But why?!_ Then, he gasped, his eyes widened. "Poison! It's poison, isn't it?" Kaiian slowly nodded, his smile widening. Yu felt a faint memory being brought up. _Poison..._

* * *

><p><em>It was a dark night and all was quiet. Two bladers stood on the opposite ends of the stadium. One was Yu, a boy with spiky gold hair, emerald eyes, and a long-sleeved white shirt and pants. His face was scared. On the other side was a tall skinny boy with snakelike movements, red hair that covered his eyes, Reiji. <em>

_Everything was at stake here. Yu was battling for freedom. His escape from the Dark Nebula. But could he win against Dark Nebula's second best? The situation wasn't looking so bright for Yu. But he had to try._

_Reiji's forte was deception._

_He tricked Yu into thinking there wasn't anything special about him, then struck while he let his guard down. Yu could still feel the poison coursing through his precious bey._

_Libra was badly damaged, tiny jagged metal flying everywhere as Serpent continued its onslaught of attacks. Yu's was unable to do anything. He felt tears welling up in his eyes. "Please...please stop this!" Yu begged, but Reiji just let out a creepy smile and ignored him._

_Only one option left then. "LIBRA! INFERNAL BLAST!" There was a beam of blinding green light. When the attack faded, Yu was nowhere to be seen, having escaped under the cover of light. All that remained was the stadium and shards of Libra's fusion wheel, energy ring and spin track._

* * *

><p>"AH!" Yu screamed. Kaiian smirked. "Like it? Toxic Jab brings back some bad memories." <em>I-Ignore him! I'm much stronger now! I have an evolved bey- I-I'm an Ourano Blader! I can do this! All I need is to set my senses to level four...<em> Now he could here the tiniest bit of sound, like 0.0000... Oh, forget it. "Libra! I believe in you! GAH!" His lime Ourano blader aura flared up, and Libra suddenly started to spin faster. Kaiian scowled. "I won't lose either!"

A silver aura surrounded him and his eyes narrowed. "I'm finishing this now! Chimera! Devil Crusher!" Silver and black chains shot out of Chimera's bey spirit, merging together into one black and silver whip, about to be brought down on Libra.

"Go Libra! Tip the scales! New Special move!" Yu said happily. _According to my calculations, it will take 12.84 seconds to reach full power. Libra can definitely hold on for that long. _"Libra! Angel's Judgment!" A pure white beam of energy erupted from the sky. Exactly 12.84 seconds later, it had a drastic increase of power. There was a unpleasant hissing sound as the whip broke, causing Chimera to be engulfed in white light in the shape of an angel.

Chimera flew out of the stadium while Libra was barely spinning.

"Hm," Yu said as he caught his bey and scanned it, running out. "Don't mess with me."

* * *

><p><strong>Me: I'm back.<strong>

**Gingka: So where were you?**

**Me: OC business. I told you.**

**Kyoya: So have you created your OC?**

**Me: Good news, yes. Oh it's 3.14 now! PI! YAY! Um, bad news...I miscounted the number of Ourano Bladers. Now I have to make another OC.**

**Gingka: Have you?**

**Me: No...I can't come up with any ideas. I could think up some, but I can't. I have been thinking the entire night. So I am going to let you readers submit 1 OC (male). Here's the OC form :)**

**Name:**

**Age:**

**Appearance:**

**Morality:**

**Personality:**

**Physique:**

**Bey:**

**Special moves: (Maximum four)**

**Aura:**

**Trivia:**

**I am actually accepting an OC! Yeah! Send them by PM and hope you enjoyed this chapter. So as always, critiques welcome and please review!**


	27. Chapter 27

**HI HERE'S A NEW CHAPTER FOR ALL OF YOU AND YEAH! WHEE! YAY!**

**Gingka: Y-You're hyper?**

**Me: Just got back exam results!  
><strong>

**Yuki: I presume you did well?**

**Me: TOP IN SCHOOL! ANYWAY! HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS CHAPTER, IT MAINLY FOCUSES ON DYNAMIS! *Faints from hyperness***

* * *

><p>A boy with lavender hair and blue eyes walked along one of the paths, his bey destroying any competition behind it. There was no real purpose for him to be in the competition. It was just for a little taste of the outside world again. So it didn't matter if he won this competition.<p>

He casually strolled up the path, his bey beside him. He smirked to himself as yet another bey and blader was sent flying. _I hope I run into one of them. I'll be able to get sweet revenge. Hm? _Another few beys sped right at him but he easily blew all of them away. He ignored the whispers aimed his way. He didn't care about those _lies. _He was empty, so thoroughly broken that there was absolutely no way to fix him again. He was like a robot, only loyal to those who treated him fairly.

He wore jet black robes, black pants and boots, staring blankly at the ones who tried to ask him questions. How did he become like this? He actually didn't know any more. The only ones that knew were those back at the Headquarters, those who had done this to him. His fingers gingerly fingered the gold pendant around his neck. Hades Curse. Wasn't he supposed to hate it for making him turn against those he cared for? Wrong.

He actually should have thanked that pendant for clarifying exactly why he was doing this. The memories in his mind were crystal clear. The curse just amplified the feelings of negativity. It didn't make him turn on anyone he liked. Why it was a curse, that was a mystery that he would figure out another time.

* * *

><p>Corisande pressed the button for a needle to drive itself into her son's skin. It was more expensive, but she just couldn't risk it anymore. She would be using more electricity for the final- and most important- round, and she would most probably be pushing his brain's limits. <em>I can't slip up. Not like the last time... <em>

She remembered Stage Three. Maybe she liked seeing Dynamis relive those fake memories that she had so carefully created to torture him. She liked _recreating _him that way. He had already turned against his former friends, allies and even family. That was good. It gave him a purpose to do his job, and he would carry it out with so much hatred, she expected success nearly every time. But there was a huge problem now, one that needed to be corrected.

Dynamis had now hated _her _as well. He would still remember all of the torture she had done to him, and there wasn't a good reason why he would obey her. So she needed to toy with his memories some more, until he became an opposite of himself, trusting all the people he had hated once. Seeing her son imprisoned in that pillar at first, when he was first captured, she had felt a dull, guilty stab of pain in her heart in torturing someone close to her. But now, her heart had hardened. _Why are you feeling this way? _She had asked herself when they were at the second stage. _You are merely helping him become a better, perfect version of himself. Hades Curse? Now, with the power of science, it doesn't necessarily have to be a flaw..._

She looked at the prototype of the detailed gold pendant on the screen. That was just for testing. There was a picture of it on the screen, as well as the cursed pieces and ruby themselves that the Skia organization had managed to salvage from Nemesis's shrine. If Hades Curse could be stabilized by altering his memories, then it would have been even more of an asset then they imagined _He's waking up, _she noted as she noticed his eyes slowly slide open.

He opened his eyes, his mind still in a jumble from all the electric shocks given to him. However, he managed to swiftly regain himself. He let out a hate-filled hiss towards her, his eyes radiating fury and aggression. She smirked at him. _Hate me all you want now. It won't matter in the end. I'll make sure you adore me!_

She pressed another button which lowered the head shackle-like device onto Dynamis's head, ignoring the glare he sent towards her. "Oh, don't worry, _Dynamis," _she assured. "You'll have no recollection of this by the time I'm done with you." The boy didn't struggle; he knew it was futile. Instead he closed his eyes. _Is it true? But then...won't she hurt me again? I really have no idea. Nothing makes sense in this world anymore._

He watched in horror as her finger hovered over the "ON" button for a few seconds before pressing it. The shackle blinked to life, and it hummed with electricity. _No, please, not that again! _Corisande was searching for the list of memories she had made changes to. She decided to start with a certain one. Electricity flowed through Dynamis's brain and he shuddered with pain at the painful jolt. Black and white images flashed in front of him, just like the last time.

* * *

><p><em>Ten-year-old Dynamis collapsed on the floor. After a day of hiding from his sister and having taken a harsh beating from his father, he was exhausted. He wanted to just lie here, on the cold marble tiles and die. His life had no meaning anyway. He had just accepted the pendant containing Hades Curse, and it was sealed beneath his robes. The whispers still echoed in his mind, telling him to destroy everyone that had hurt him. They deserved it.<em>

_It took all of his willpower to resist doing that. He felt scared and disliked his family, but the curse made it seem like they were out to kill him. Which, actually, maybe they were. But he wasn't the type for violence. Usually, he would just silently endure the torture delivered to him. His future was bleak, he could see no light in it. Even the stars didn't give him any answers. It was like they too knew that there was no hope for him. _

_Even the stars hate me, he thought sadly. Only one person was nice to him. A woman with dark brown hair, sapphire eyes, naturally tanned skin and a wide smile on her face. His mother, Gracia. She was the one person who was nice to him._

_He smiled softly as he felt a pair of arms wrap around him. He looked up to see those sparkling blue eyes. "Mum?" He asked. She said nothing, but frowned as she checked on his injuries. "Who did it today?" She asked with a sigh. "Both," He replied. She carried him into his room, tending to his injuries gently. He snuggled into her arms as she ruffled his hair. She had even managed to smuggle one of Astri's plush toys into the room as some source of comfort. _

_He hugged the teddy bear tightly to his chest as his mother smiled. "I'll have a word with your father tonight. But he's not going to listen to me," She sighed. Gracia was about to leave the room when her son called for her._

_"Mum?" She turned back to her son._

_"Sing?" He asked hopefully, his eyes both sad and hopeful. She nodded and opened her mouth, her tone soft and soothing._

_"Hush now, quiet now,"_

_"It's time to lay your sleepy head,"_

_"Hush, now, quiet now,"_

_"It's time to go to bed..." She trailed off to see her son fast asleep on the bed, his breathing peaceful and his eyes closed. She gently gave him a kiss on the forehead. "Goodnight, sweetheart."_

* * *

><p>Corisande saw her son showing a weak, half-hearted attempt to struggle through the fake memory. However, he knew what had happened the last time; pain. Intense pain. His face contorted with the strain of trying, but it wasn't any use. Corisande carefully upped the electricity. He screamed, but no sound came out. After a while, Dynamis blinked in confusion. He was meant to be confused. After all, why would the same mother who cared for him be doing this to him now?<p>

"It's true...it just has to...but I don't understand...why are you doing this to me?"

Corisande said nothing, she just allowed herself a small, self-satisfied smile before moving on with her list. Memory number two. She pressed the button. Dynamis said nothing, he just accepted the current that attacked his brain. The migraine intensified, but so what? Pain was a daily part of his life now. Heck, it would be strange, really strange if he spent any waking moments without pain. Even in sleep, his only refuge now, the nightmares of his sister, his father, the _curse, _they continued.

"I hope you're ready for this," Was all Corisande said, not showing a trace of sympathy for her son.

* * *

><p><em>"Good riddance to him," Dynamis's father said, an unnaturally wide smile on his face. "Finally! The day has come where he will be temple guardian and we can all move out. Do you know the torture of staying with him for twelve years?" His mother scowled at him, before glancing over at Dynamis. The boy seemed distracted, weighed down by the heavy responsibilities of guarding the temple. He was also a little sad that no one would be able to stay with him.<em>

_She walked over to the boy. "Dynamis?" Her son didn't seem to hear her. "Dynamis!" Her boy started and jerked his head back and looked at his mother. "Mum?" His features became a relaxed mask, his eyes forcing the negative emotions back so that he looked almost emotionless._

_"You must be scared," She said. The boy sighed._

_"Aren't I always scared? What's the difference?" He mumbled, making his mother hug him gently._

_The next words she whispered into his ear was perhaps the most comforting. "I'll try to visit sometime, but it's not going to be easy. I'll try, OK?" He nodded and burrowed into his mother's embrace, trying to cling on to the small fragments of happiness left before his family left. His mother's eyes saddened when she heard the passive voice he spoke in next. It reflected on how poor his father had raised him. She tried not to stare at the almost-faded bruises on his arms._

_"Between you and me, I'm actually, regrettably looking forward to this day. No more living nightmares."_

_"Oh, Dynamis..."_

* * *

><p>"How was that?" Corisande asked. There was no response from the boy, who gritted his teeth in pain. He was even more confused right now. His heartbeat had increased rapidly but almost as suddenly as it had increased, it dipped down to its usual heart rate again.<p>

"Next," Corisande said. Now_ this, _this would certainly be interesting. She was so close. This one, and a few more smaller memories, and then the process would be completed. "If you are...showing me...the truth...then why...why a-are you...doing this..." Dynamis asked in between painful breaths.

Corisande merely ignored the situation and continued on.

_Dynamis went about his duties in the temple quietly. His physical scars had long faded, but the mental scars would still remain. And then there was that event with Nemesis. People who he thought were friends were actually...enemies. Just shows that you can't trust them. Even his mother, who made a promise to try to come someday- who was that standing at the entrance of the temple? The one with navy hair and striking cyan eyes? But those eyes had a...resemblance to..._

* * *

><p><em>"Mum!" He ran forward, throwing his arms around her. His mother hugged him back. "Oh Dynamis! You've grown so much!" It was true. Dynamis was now even taller than his mother. <em>

_"But why are you like...this?" He asked, gesturing to her newly coloured hair and eyes. She shrugged. "Listen Dynamis. Your father and your sister...they've chased me out. I had to do this and find a new name...Corisande. I've come here to bring you to my friends, where you'll be safe."_

_"B-but I'm temple-"_

_"It's only for a while, until I find a way."_

_"Your friends?"_

_"Yes, my friends. They'll take care of you, at least until I manage to find a way to keep you safe from your family and... enemies."_

_"If you say so..." Dynamis trailed off, following his mother out of his temple._

* * *

><p>"ARGH!" Dynamis shouted in pain. He didn't want to feel pain any more, so the sooner he admitted, the sooner he would be freed from the pain. "ALRIGHT IT'S TRUE! JUST STOP IT!" He screamed, and almost instantly, the electricity stopped.<p>

Corisande smiled. "Now that's a good boy." She showed him some other memories of her spending time with him at the temple, and then deleted the entire torture process from his mind using a special medicine. Finally, he was let out of the tube. He was shaky on his feet, but he was completely brainwashed. His cold blue eyes stared straight into Corisande's.

The woman smirked to herself. _It's finally done! I've waited so long for this! _Dynamis looked emotionless. "Your first mission is to feel the outdoors again. Get used to it."

"Yes...Corisande. I understand," Dynamis said. "And your former friends and your sister is going to be there." She saw anger build up in his eyes but she snapped her fingers. "You may use your anger to fuel you on your missions, but I expect you to remain collected and calm while doing them."

"Yes."

"And here. Two things for you," She said. She brought over the reconstructed pendant that contained Hades Curse. Wordlessly, the teen slipped it over his head. A deep black colour quickly spread over his robes. She placed the other item in his palm. "Your new bey."

The boy looked at the purple, black and dark pink bey in his hand before his fingers curled around it. "It certainly looks interesting."

"Now go."

"Understood."

* * *

><p>Dynamis was still trying to understand why there was a long, empty gap in his memories. It didn't matter, though. His master, no, <em>mother, <em>had told him to feel the outdoors again, and he would do it. Without any distractions. Oh, he had reached a checkpoint. OK. He would crush the opponent.

As he saw the blader at the other end of the arena, he smirked slightly. The blader's eyes was wide and she stared at me like I couldn't be real. Hm. This would be fun. And I could test out my recreated bey too. Two birds with one stone.

And sweet revenge was in order.

* * *

><p><strong>Dynamis has crossed over to the dark side. MWAHAHAHAH!<br>**

**Dynamis: -.- Why?!**

**Me: It's called plot. Oh and I had an entire giant chocolate sundae just now completed with whipped cream and chocolate fudge~ so I am on a sugar rush for the first time.**

**Kyoya: Annoying-**

**Me: *Launches my bey at him* **

**Kyoya: Why do you have a bey?**

**Me: I do have a bey of my own, but for this, I stole Vulcan Horuseus and Phantom Orion! This is Vulcan Orion!  
><strong>

**Nile and Chris: GIVE THEM BACK!  
><strong>

**Me: Do it first.**

**Nile and Chris: Nyx Doesn't own MFB...**

**Me: Good. *Hands beys over* Critiques welcome and please review!**


	28. Chapter 28

**Me: *Is hugging Chris* So sorry I haven't updated. I was busy and then I had a sleepover yesterday.**

**Chris: WILL YOU STOP HUGGING ME!  
><strong>

**Me: *Pouts* But I need someone to hug! Plus you're a ninja!**

**Chris: Go hug someone else. And I am NOT a ninja.**

**Me: *Hugs him tighter* You are a ninja! Just watch episode 25 of Metal Fury! And there's no one else in the room.**

**Chris:Will you let me go if I say the disclaimer?**

**Me: *Smiles* OK! I guess I can go find Dynamis!**

**Chris: NyxAbsol does not own MFB.**

**Me: ENJOY! :)**

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><p>Astri stared in shock at the blader standing at the opposite end of the arena. <em>How-How did it happen?! <em>She was half confused and half elated at the sight of her brother. His sapphire eyes had an unreadable expression and his robes were black. The gold pendant of Hades Curse rested upon his neck for _some reason. _She couldn't resist the urge any longer. She ran up to her brother.

"Dynamis! How are you out? Are you OK? Why are you wearing that pendant? What did they-"

She was cut off as Dynamis, surprisingly strong, flung her to the ground, causing her to wince in pain. The Dynamis she knew was always gentle and mild. He would never do this. What had gotten into him. She stared into his sapphire eyes, trying to look for an answer, but all she found was cold hatred. He didn't say anything; instead, he raised his launcher. It was jet black with indigo highlights. Astri scrambled to take her place at the other end of the bey stadium. "Dynamis-"

"Shut up," The lavender haired blader told her harshly,speaking for the first time, his eyes seeming to flash. Astri was actually _intimidated _by him. She needed to find out what had gone wrong. If her mother had hurt him, if she had...Astri growled in anger. That jerk must have had done something bad to make him this way. However, as much as she wanted to find out the truth, doubt filled her mind. Dynamis was the key of the fifteen Ourano bladers. She had heard stories from her father that the "key" was extremely strong. Perhaps even stronger than all fourteen Ourano Bladers combined, although that had never been put to the test.

All she could do was _hope._

She bit her lip and retook her place at the other end, fixing Starlight to her metallic gold launcher. She took a closer look at Dynamis's new bey. It was mainly a dark violet. It's fusion wheel was coloured black with thick boysenberry magenta strips. The spin track was indigo and the energy ring was black and silver. It's performance tip was a broad magenta tip with three paper-thin metal feathers that stuck out to the side. _What bey is that? Even I can't tell, _Astri thought.

"Dynamis, what happened to you?" She pleaded with her brother to answer. He said nothing. Instead, he stared coolly at the arena, his gaze focused, his eyes now not betraying a trace of emotion. _I have no choice, _Astri thought, _I have to try. For his sake. _She adjusted her launcher to aim at the stadium.

"3," Dynamis said in a monotonous voice. _I am going to win against her no matter what. She was part of the "family" who ruined my life._

"2..." Astri muttered, uncertainty creeping into her voice.

"1," Both of them said together. Their hands tightened around their launchers and they got ready.

"Let it rip!" Astri thought that she could have an advantage, Dynamis having been captured, _ugh, _and been locked up for so long. She was the one with more experience. Besides, Dynamis's blading skills should have been a little rusty- the problem was, it wasn't rusty at all. He bladed with as much, no, much more skill than usual. She observed the bey steadily spinning in the arena, without a single wobble. Starlight smashed hard into it, but the bey wouldn't budge.

Astri frowned. "It _looks _like Jupiter, but..." She trailed off as this new "Jupiter" counterattacked by slamming into it with insane power. With just one attack, Starlight had been sent flying, crashing hard into the wall of the stadium and wobbling. "I didn't recall it being _this _strong!" She tried hitting Jupiter again but this time it was blown away quickly. "What is that bey?! It's power is off the charts!" She yelled. Dynamis simply smirked.

"And I thought you would give me a good fight. Satanic Jupiter, Attack mode!" The thick fusion wheel shifted apart, revealing several black scythe-like blades of metal that fanned out around Jupiter, each tipped with razor-sharp dark magenta blades. The metal coating over the feathers retracted into the performance tip, causing the feathers to instead be made out of some light but extremely hard material. With an added burst of speed, it smashed into Starlight again, causing its speed to decrease a lot.

Meanwhile, Starlight was shocked. _How can he be so strong?! _It asked frantically. _What can we do to beat him?_

Astri tried to give a positive reply. _Just try. _Then, she turned back to the battle where Starlight was getting crushed by Satanic Jupiter. "The six scythe-knife structures on Jupiter multiply its attack power by a lot, causing it to have drastic effects on my Comet Starlight. Plus, you can further increase your attack power by using those feathers to slice through the air, doubling Jupiter's speed. However..." Starlight aimed for Jupiter's spin track. She smiled as it landed a direct hit. That smile quickly dissolved when she noticed that Jupiter hadn't slowed in the slightest bit. "But how?!" She exclaimed. Starlight was seriously in trouble right now and she didn't know how crazy this Jupiter was.

"Satanic Jupiter's broad performance tip not only helps for stamina, but it also contains a small gear that allows the performance tip to rotate independently. The gear will not stop turning, thus enabling Jupiter to have near-infinite stamina," Dynamis explained as his bey smashed hard into Starlight again.

_Smart technique, _Starlight said sarcastically. _You have any real ideas?_

_It's the only option and I need you to help me. _She said. Luckily, her bey understood and she felt power flaring up inside her. A gold pillar of light formed around her. Her eyes had its gold tinge and her lavender hair darkened, the strands flying up and magically twisting themselves into a braid. Her gray shirt and indigo jeans shimmered and changed to become a gold and white outfit that reached mid-thigh. She had on her black tights that stopped just above her knees and long indigo boots. A half crown appeared and was braided into her hair.

"Stop it Dynamis! Why are you acting like this?" She screamed at her brother, who didn't seem fazed by her transformation. Instead, he glared at her. Even with her new maximum power, she suddenly felt very small and helpless under his unforgiving gaze.

"Why?" He said, his voice dangerously low.

"WHY?" Jupiter's spin speed suddenly started to increase rapidly, a purple tornado being generated with just its spin. Astri flinched as he shouted at her. His pupils shrunk and gained a crazed look in them, causing Astri to back away in fear.

"YOU RUINED MY LIFE!" The tornado grew in size and power as Jupiter started spinning faster. "YOU TREAT ME LIKE THIS, AND YOU EXPECT ME TO _FORGIVE _YOU? I'LL CRUSH YOU SO COMPLETELY YOU'LL REGRET EVER BATTLING ME!"

A dark purple, almost black aura surrounded him-the work of Hades Curse strengthening his negative feelings. Astri growled. _Well, that didn't work, _Starlight commented dryly. _So what now?_

_Shut up, _Astri snapped mentally, _and let me handle this! _"Special move! Infinity Electro Star!" The massive four-point star crackling with electricity formed in the air as Starlight spun wildly in a tight circle, shooting energy towards the sky. Then, the star began its quick descent onto the stadium. However, Dynamis didn't seem to be bothered at all. The light purple tornado suddenly turned an extremely dark purple, the wind mixing with dark energy.

"JUPITER! DESTROY HER!" A swirling purple column of energy erupted, consuming the entire stadium and meeting the golden electric star. Astri shielded herself from the light. "U-Ugh! Dynamis!" She yelled, as the teenage boy on the other side stood calmly, despite having been so demented just now. The ferocious wind buffeted him and the ground shook with the violent impact of the two moves clashing, but he hardly blinked.

"W-What have you become?" Astri asked sadly, tears spilling from her eyes.

* * *

><p>Chris swept ten beys away easily before a light caught his eye. A huge amount of energy radiated from a checkpoint at the opposite path, and he saw an indigo pillar of dark power appear in the sky. The blond teen was shocked.<p>

"What is that?" He asked himself as Orion flew back to his hand.

_Nothing important, _he told himself, _concentrate. You need to reach the top to win. _

He stepped into a checkpoint. "So who's my opponent?" He asked. Nobody was here yet, so he decided to lounge on a nearby tree, checking Orion's condition. Apart from a few minor scratches and scrapes on his bey's fusion wheel, along with a very worn energy ring, it was still able to battle. Finally, he saw a lone figure emerge from the doorway. Smirking to himself, he jumped down, landing on the opposite end. His eyes widened when he saw his opponent, who looked equally surprised.

"Chris?!"

* * *

><p>Astri screamed as she saw multiple fine crack lines appear on her bey and small pieces of her energy ring and fusion wheel break off. "No! STARLIGHT!" There was an explosion that caused her to be blown away and the stadium itself cracked and caved in. Her badly damaged bey lay wedged in between two pieces of rubble while Jupiter still continued its steady spin, the last wisps of wind dying down around it. Dynamis still had traces of dark energy surrounding his body as he called back his bey.<p>

"Hm," He said, not giving her a second glance as he walked out of the checkpoint. Astri lay on the ground, back to normal, her body aching badly. Her clothes had been torn and she had multiple grazes from Dynamis's out-of-control attacking frenzy. She couldn't find the strength to get back up again.

* * *

><p><em>Astri ran up to Chris, noting that he had taken off his cast. His ankle had healed slightly, but it hadn't mended yet. The teenage girl was hoping to talk some sense into him. <em>

_"Chris-" She started. The blond cut her off._

_"I'll see you at the top if you make it, Astri," He stated before disappearing in one swift motion. He was insanely quick, despite the fact that he had an injured foot. It must have been his blader-for-hire thing. Brushing the thought aside, she ran up the nearest path._

_She had vowed that she would reach the top so that she could battle Chris, get him to come back. She had made a silent promise that only he could understand. A promise not to let him down, that he would definitely see her at the top._

* * *

><p><em>I'm sorry, Chris...<em>

She then remembered another promise she had broken. She had promised herself that she would make sure Dynamis was saved, no matter what. She had let _him _down for failing to rescue him. And now he was like this...corrupted. And it was all because of her.

_I'm sorry, Dynamis..._

And then the world spun once more before everything went back.

She didn't notice the final tear slide down her cheek, landing on the ground to vaguely form the shape of two halves of a broken heart.

* * *

><p><strong>Me: *Now hugging Dynamis* Sorry if the chapter was short. I hope you enjoyed it.<strong>

**Dynamis: *Annoyed* Chris I feel your pain...**

**Chris: Agreed...**

**Me: And Dynamis is a psycho! Yay! :D**

**Dynamis: Why are you so happy about it?  
><strong>

**Me: Cause you're evil! And don't complain! I made you epic!  
><strong>

**Dynamis: Whatever...**

**Me: I forgot to mention this last chapter, but thanks shadowritergirl for the OC! :) **

**Chris: Since she's going to hug Dynamis to death, I might as well say it for her...critiques welcome and please review.**


	29. Chapter 29

**Me: O.O *Is frozen***

**Kenta: ...Is...is she alive? *Pokes***

**Me: O.O**

**Ryuga: Let's hope she's not.**

**Kenta: *But you're not even in this fanfic***

**Ryuga: She's a fanfiction authoress, which means she's automatically evil.**

**Dynamis: I think its because of the level 100 Xerneas she received on Wonder Trade earlier...**

**Yuki: *Smiles* Anyway... Miss Nyx is sorry if the chapter sucks or is too short to your liking, but she still hope you enjoy it! **

* * *

><p>Chris stared wide-eyed at the teenage girl at the opposite end of the arena. She was around nineteen, with long, straight dark russet hair and purplish-gray eyes. She had peachy skin and she wore a dark red jacket over a gray shirt, black skinny jeans and red sneakers.<p>

"S...Sis? A-Ava?" He stammered out. The girl smiled back at him gently. "Chris."

His older sister, Ava, was the kindest person Chris had ever known. She had always been there for him when he was down, and he idolized her when he was younger. But what was she even doing here? When Chris had left to become a blader for hire, she didn't even own a bey. Did she get one or something? Chris brushed the thoughts aside. It didn't matter whether it was his sister. He would still win this battle. _And I made a promise to Astri._

He attached Orion to the launcher, aiming it at the stadium. "You ready?" He asked. In reply, Ava shook her head slowly, returning her bey to her pocket. She frowned as she assessed him. "Chris." When the blond raised an eyebrow, she continued. "I forfeit." Chris was shocked. "What?!"

"You heard me," She stated simply. "You're injured." _Darn it Ava! Why do you have to be so smart? _He rolled his eyes. "I don't care. I've been through worse. We're _battling," _He said firmly.

"No."

"Yes. And I thought you wanted your brother to be happy." He smirked as he said this.

"Your health is more important," She argued back, but the determination in her voice was already wavering as she started to finger her bey. When Chris crossed his arms and glared at her, using that _I'm-not-leaving-until-you-battle-me _look. Sighing, she pulled her red, orange and pink bey out. Her little brother could be extremely stubborn sometimes, and she hated that. She was always giving in to him in the end, no matter how hard she tried.

"3!" Chris said as Ava scrambled to get ready.

"2," She counted as she pointed her bey, Blazing Victini, towards the stadium.

"1!" Both of them shouted.

"Let it rip!" The two beys flew into the stadium, Orion circling around, looking for the chance to attack while Victini simply remained stationary in the middle of the stadium. Finally, Orion headed in, clashing with the red bey. Chris was surprised when Victini didn't fight back. He focused on the bey to see if Ava was using any tricks, but she wasn't. He attacked over and over again, causing Victini to weaken more and more with each hit. Then, he realized what his sister was doing. His features contorted into a scowl.

"Pull back!" He called, and the magenta bey headed away from Victini. "Ava, don't hold back because of a stupid injury!"

"It's not stupid. And I _am _battling, just like you asked me to," She replied in her usual gentle voice.

"Sis! You are going to use your full power, whether you like it or not!" He snapped. Orion glowed pink and sent Victini flying into the air. "So hurry up!" His sister shook her head, instead responding with "Did you know why I started blading?" At this question, Chris froze. He didn't. Orion also stopped its barrage of attacks. Victini finally attacked back with surprising strength, sending Orion back. The shape of its fusion wheel was extremely unique, causing air to make contact which produced heat, dealing even more damage to Chris's bey.

"I wanted to find you." Ava's voice cracked at this point, and Chris felt guilty. "I missed you so much when we left...so I decided, I would get a bey and go on a journey as well, so that I could make sure you were alright. You would be at a tournament somewhere, so I needed a bey." She bit her lip to keep the tears in her eyes from spilling. When Chris saw his sister look so sad because of him, he felt really, really guilty. He hated it when she looked this way; it was so different from the kind smile she often wore on her face.

Blazing Victini attacked Orion once more, causing it to be tossed into the air. It then struck with an uppercut attack. Chris's eyes filled with sadness when he saw the teen on the verge of tears. She was the only girl he really, genuinely cared about besides, well, Riley and um, _Astri..._

"I-I'm sorry-" He stammered out, but Ava cut him off, a look of understanding on her face.

"Don't be."

"But I-" He started.

"I was selfish." _Ava, selfish? That's as possible as, I don't know, winged rainbow unicorns soaring overhead. _"I didn't want you to go because I would miss you. You shouldn't be sorry, Chris." He hesitated for a moment and Orion paused in attacking.

"So to make it up, I'll battle." Victini started to glow multiple shades of red, orange and pink, much like the sunset around them- beautiful. "Victini is said to be a creature to represent victory from another dimension- ironic, 'cause I don't really care much about winning." It then clashed head-on with Orion. "But during this battle, I understood. Victory's not just about winning, it's also about the heated spirit and effort you put in to win. You wouldn't feel like it was a _real _victory if I didn't give it my all, didn't you?"

Shocked, Chris silently nodded. She had just summarized everything he felt.

"Ava?" He asked his big sister. He had never felt so small before. He felt like a little kid who was doing everything wrong. He had been causing others unhappiness- first Ava and Riley when he first left on a journey, then Gingka and the other legendary bladers when he joined up with Nemesis, and now Astri. It was all because of the choices he had made. "Do you think that my whole live has been wrong? Everywhere I go, I just bring everyone pain."

His sister looked at him with an unreadable expression in her eyes. She looked at him with those piercing purplish-gray eyes of hers for a long time before finally answering. "No. I don't think so. Everything happens for a reason-every choice you make, every path you follow..., it all has a purpose, doesn't it?" When her brother didn't reply, she continued. "You may have joined up with Nemesis, true, but eventually Gingka made you see what blader's spirit was. And when you left home, it was because you loved Beyblade. We weren't in the position to stop you."

"And we'll finish this now. Special move, Victory Boost!" Victini's bey spirit appeared- a creamy rabbit-like creature with large blue eyes. The top of its ears, crest, hands and feet were all a deep orange that seemed to shimmer and change colour every moment- dark pink, orange and red, sometimes all three colours at once. The orange "V" shape on the top of its ears glowed brightly, releasing a burst of pink and orange flames in the shape of a V.

Chris smiled sadly. _She still hasn't changed after all these years... _"Orion..." The bey glowed magenta it became cloaked with streaks of pink and red, the five points on its fusion wheel glowing. The constellation Orion appeared in the sky as the bey dived towards Victini.

There were multiple sparks as the beys clashed. Eventually, Orion glowed brighter and overpowered Victini, causing the stadium to light up in a display of pink, red and white lights. Blazing Victini landed next to Ava's feet while Orion flew back to Chris's hand.

"I lost." Ava said, without a hint of disappointment. She wasn't particularly skilled as a blader anyway. "Chris-" She was interrupted as her younger brother hugged her tightly, faint sobbing sounds coming from him. She was instantly alarmed. This was the _first _time she had seen him cry, which meant he was really depressed. Slowly, she returned the embrace. "I-I'm really sorry, Ava!" He said, snuggling into her chest just like he used to do when he was six.

"I told you, you didn't do anything wrong." She said as she pulled him closer to her.

* * *

><p><strong>Me: And that's it for the chapter! :) I made Chris cry! Yay!<strong>

**Chris: *Sulks in corner***

**Ryuga: *Is arguing with Yuki* WHY DID YOU HELP HER**

**Yuki: Um... B-Because she hasn't really tortured me before but I still get free food 'cause I'm a minor character...**

**Me: *Teleports Ryuga into the land of magical rainbows and fluffiness* If you haven't noticed, I have this random, very confusing story called Fairytale: Dreams. No idea when that's going to be updated...**

**Chris: I saw my name tagged there. That means I'm going to be tortured...**

**Me: No one can be sure! Besides I tagged Hyoma and OC as well... AND SORRY FOR THE POKEMON BEYS! *Starts to cry* I LIKE POKEMON! Um...Check out my art book on Wattpad (Just got a Wattpad account) Even though there's only random Pokemon there! My OCs will be posted there eventually though. I also changed the category from Hurt/Comfort to Tradegy; it fits the story more ^.^ Critiques welcome and please review! **


	30. Chapter 30

**I am back after SO LONG! I can explain this. My cousins came, we were busy, they left, I started randomly drawing, then I updated most of my other fics before this one-**

**Gingka: Just shut up and continue.**

**Me: *Puppy dog eyes* Please, Dynamis?**

**Dynamis: What do I get out of it?**

**Me: I won't annoy you for the rest of the chapter! :)**

**Dynamis: Sure! NyxAbsol does not own Metal Fight Beyblade, and she wants to say there will be an little plot twist in here. She hopes you enjoy it! **

**Chris: *Enters* I don't want to be annoyed now that Dynamis is free...*Glares***

**Me: Whatever! On with the chapter!**

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><p>The lavender haired girl sat up slowly, rubbing her sore head. She winced as small jolts of pain ran up her body. The stadium was wrecked, and so was her bey. Astri gasped. "What..."<p>

Then, it all came rushing back to her, the memories of everything that had recently happened, the _pain..._

She clutched her nearly shattered bey and held it close to her chest, like it was the only thing that kept her from breaking. She had always thought that her friends, those who had been so painfully hurt, were pitiful. But now, she wondered... was it actually that way? She was hurting too, hurting just as much, hurting because she couldn't bear to see them like this. It seemed almost _worse_. She looked at the destruction around her, caused by her _brother._

He would never do anything like this. He must have been brainwashed. If he was brainwashed, then the old him was still in there...right? That crazed look in his eyes, the fury that he had outwardly displayed when he had gone off on a rampage. It was _scary. _She curled up into a ball and buried her face in her hands, her body finally giving way to all the pain and sorrow and the waves of sobs racking it over and over again, each new wave of tears bringing with them memories, the memories of _him._

"Dynamis..." She whimpered softly, her voice cracking halfway. "H-How did you get like this?" The darkness flowing from him was overwhelming, and even then she was sure that it was just a small portion of his full power. And Hades Curse...how on earth did he manage to get it? Wasn't it broken during the battle with Nemesis?

Starlight's voice floated back into her head and for once, Astri didn't try to push it away. _Hey, are you okay? _She asked gently, afraid to say anything more. She only received a tiny shake of her head in response. Astri finally lifted her head, her sapphire eyes glistening with tears. She wanted to be in her own world, where nothing was so _wrong _and _broken. _But when she opened her eyes again and left the world of comforting blackness, she was just greeted with harsh, cold reality.

"What should I do?" She asked out loud, utterly broken. Starlight warily answered her, not wanting to upset her friend any further.

_Um... Continue...? _She started, and Astri's eyes hardened into anger. She glared at no one in particular before her gaze dropped down to her bey, defeated. Multiple pieces of its fusion wheel had been sliced off, its performance tip was badly cracked, random other chunks of the bey missing. Several fine crack lines ran across Starlight's frame. "I couldn't even continue if I wanted to... Starlight has taken so much damage, and it can't repair itself like the other time with Kage..."

_Maybe you should just sit here and rest until the final battle. _Starlight commented. Astri mumbled something in reply along the lines of "OK..." But deep inside, she was worried. For both her friends and her brother. She broke the two promises that she had made, and she couldn't do anything about it.

* * *

><p>Corisande observed the progress her group was making. Kage was doing OK besides the battle with Astri. Kaiian as well, though he was a little slower with his opponents and tended to play around with them. The other bladers weren't doing as well, but they could manage.<p>

Dynamis in particular was being amazing. He defeated all beys that he came across within mere seconds; however, he seemed to take the competition more like a leisurely stroll, which was fine. It was meant to be like that anyway.

But Seth on the other hand...

She worriedly checked her watch. It was 8.26, almost 8.30. The device usually stationed at the Headquarters was with him, as it couldn't work over long distances. And there was a reason why Seth had a curfew and a locked room,

"Oh no..." She muttered. "I have the feeling we're going to lose a member..."

* * *

><p>Chris raised an eyebrow as he reached a flat surface. "Well this was easier than I expected." He winced as he shifted and his ankle started hurting like crazy again. It was roughly 8.40, and it looked like he was first... <em>again.<em>

"I really hate the waiting," He grumbled as he climbed up on a large rock to wait for his opponent. He saw explosions lighting up the sky at random checkpoints far from the mountain top. He sighed. It would probably take another half hour for the next blader to arrive.

Though, what exactly was that huge pillar of dark purple energy that he had witnessed? It seemed kind of familiar, yet strange. It was definitely more powerful than anything he had ever seen before. Maybe he would be battling _that _blader. He tried to move his foot again for what seemed like the millionth time but a wave of searing white-hot pain prevented that. He glared at his foot. "Stupid bone. Stupid Kaiian." Hopefully Kaiian was in this, so he could get his revenge.

Now _that _would certainly be rewarding. A faint, rare smile crept on his face as he got himself comfortable and settled down for the next half an hour.

* * *

><p>A teenage girl smirked as four beys flew into the wall. Her glowing white and yellow bey returned to her hand. "That's what you get for messing with me. Later!" She walked out of the checkpoint, brushing some dirt off her clothes. She <em>hated <em>getting dirty.

She grinned to herself as she saw the mountain top not too far away. She would be there soon.

And maybe she would get to see her idol or crush this time. She looked forward to it.

Her bey pulsed slightly in her hand, as if happily encouraging her. She smiled. "Soon. Soon we'll be there." She took a sip of water from the bottle strapped around her neck. She caught her breath before climbing the next tree. Trying not to get any mud on her gloves, she scaled down slowly. _Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to enter this after all. _

"Phew. You're good, Riley." Bao said as Forest Roe charged in for yet another attack. "Whatever. Solid Iron Wall!" Roe bounced off. Riley scowled. "You're good too!"

Roe charged in for another attack, but instead of being flung away again, it battled against Hades Crown's wall, losing its spin gradually. Bao snorted. "Please. The solid iron wall is unbreakable. You just end up losing your stamina. Riley, you really need to improve your technique. Looks like its going to be another easy win for- WHA!?" He was cut off as Forest Roe smashed through the wall using sheer force. The redhead stared in shock as Roe landed a successful attack on Hades Crown.

Riley smirked. "You're right, Bao, I don't have technique. But I _do _have power and determination, and that's all that I need. ROE!" The dark green bey glowed pink and green, and Riley was surrounded by a forest green aura. Her eyes were tinged a pale pink along with the usual dark magenta purple shade. Bao gulped as Hades Crown started to wobble under Roe's tremendous attack power. "R-Riley?" Roe stopped wobbling all of a sudden.

"Special move, Gaia's Fury!" Riley yelled.

"Uh oh," Bao squeaked out, suddenly fearful.

The beautiful young deer emerged from the bey, looking every bit as magnificent as it always was. Its snowy, velvety antlers glowed a bright white colour and started to grow, becoming longer and more pointed. Now it was a truly spectacular sight, and it only got better. The antlers glowed several different colours, mainly a muted green, pink, yellow and blue. A faint rainbow tint was also present on the energy. Roe slammed into Hades Crown, causing it to fall back.

The red bey landed outside the stadium. Bao sighed, picking Hades Crown up. Riley smiled in satisfaction. "YAY! Oh, and good battle, Bao." She cheered before running out of the checkpoint.

* * *

><p>"Ah! Quetzalcoatl!" Tithi gasped as his bey was flung into the stadium wall with amazing strength. It managed to keep spinning, but its spin strength had decreased significantly since the start of the battle. He bit his lip. <em>If I don't do something quick, Quetzalcoatl will be toast! <em>The blood red bey continued its barrage of attacks, not even pausing or flinching when Quetzalcoatl started to crack under the pressure that his opponent was putting on it.

"Please stop!" Tithi pleaded, but the indigo haired blader on the other side- Seth- simply smirked, his light brown eyes filled with sick joy. "Quetzalcoatl, Ishtar Impact!" The yellow and amber bey glowed a bright amber colour before speeding towards Coyote.

"Why would I stop?" Seth said softly. "Winter Nightmare!" The pointed black icicles glittered maliciously as it headed down, rotating quickly. Tithi's eyes widened, looking at the scene in terror, unable to do anything.

Suddenly, the icicles paused in mid-air. "Huh?" Tithi looked both relieved and confused. The icicles seemed to shimmer, as if they weren't fully solid. Seth was coated with a light white glow. "Argh!" A scream ripped from the teen's throat as his eyes snapped shut and he clutched his head. When his eyes opened again, it seemed to be alternating between his usual light brown and a dark honey colour. He seemed to be in extremely intense pain.

The Quetzalcoatl blader's caring side took over. "S-Seth? What's wrong? Are you OK?" He was alarmed by Seth's hair gradually starting to change colour.

"Seth?!" Tithi was extremely concerned about the other blader.

The teen hunched over and screamed in pain as he felt the changes occur to his body, both sides of him fighting for control. It felt like his body was being ripped apart.

Finally, the pain stopped. Exhausted, Seth collapsed to the ground, gladly embracing the comforting darkness.

* * *

><p><strong>What's wrong with Seth? Will we find out? *Speaking in mysterious voice*<strong>

**Chris: While you're at it, you can stop hugging me.**

**Me: No! I need someone to hug. *Yu enters* Yu can I hug you?**

**Yu: Sure!**

**Me: Yay! *Throws Chris aside and hugs Yu* Thanks!**

**Chris: That hurt... you're insane Nyx...**

**Tsuki: What did you say?**

**Chris: I don't like the sound of this... HELP! *Starts getting chased***

**Nile: Nyx hopes you enjoyed this chapter! And critiques welcome and please review! (Only helping me cause I left him alone for a while)**


End file.
